


Sunshine through the Rain clouds

by StarkerThanReality



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Anal Sex, Bdsm talks, Blacking Out, Break Up, Breathplay, Building strong relationships, Daddy Kink, Degrading actions and words, Edgeplay, Emotional Manipulation, Group Sex, Light BDSM, M/M, Manipulation, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, OOC, Oral Sex, Orgy, Physical Abuse, Rough Sex, Sex, Verbal Abuse, positive affirmation, self realizations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-01-31 08:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 67,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18587293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkerThanReality/pseuds/StarkerThanReality
Summary: I decided to continue my mini story for an abusive Peter prompt that I received, so I'm going to move those chapters here and continue it in it's own space. The first four prompt fill chapters will still be in the prompt fills "story" as well, but I probably won't post any more on Tumblr because I think I'm the only one enjoying this story as much as I do lolNon-Powered AU, unspecified Peter (whichever one you want), Tony's still rich





	1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Daddy, you can fuck harder than that," Peter antagonizes his older boyfriend from below him with a cocky smirk.

Tony swallows and wipes the sweat from his forehead, adjusting his weight by shifting his knees and gripping Peter's slim waist firmly. 

He begins pumping into Peter again, faster this time and harder, just shy of being painful. His lower back is howling in pain and his arms and legs shake from the exertion he's already given.

They've been at it for hours. It used to be fun for both of them, but now it's just another way for Peter to exercise his control over his older lover. Tony's cock is sore, rubbed raw from the never-ending friction and being denied his release. 

Thankfully, Peter finally lets a small moan of pleasure slip past his lips and Tony's heart thumps with adrenaline; he's still doing it right. He aims for the spot that he knows is typically Peter's undoing and prays that the younger man is satisfied soon. 

Tony had suggested letting him use his mouth and hands to pleasure the boy, but Peter had refused, telling Tony that he wanted him to do it right. He wanted Tony to "work for it".

"That's it Daddy, you still got a little magic left in there. I'm gonna come, don't stop," he forces out breathily, eyes closing and mouth opening into a blissful "O".

He looks so beautiful like that, soft curls spread out around his head and threaded with golden sunlight, pale skin flushed with a peachy undertone, chest heaving with pleasure. His toned arms gracefully arc above him, grabbing at the sheets above his head.

Tony is constantly reminded of why he fell for the boy in the first place. His eyes so deep like a pool of dark chocolate, those perfectly pink rose-petal lips… It was more than his body, but when he was laid out in front of him like that, it was _only_ his body.

Peter's orgasm catches Tony by surprise, muscles tightening and pulling him from his thoughts, and as soon as Peter's lilting voice sings out his pleasure, Tony can't hold his own back. 

He whines low, eyes squeezed shut tightly trying to keep his voice quiet, but there's no way Peter won't feel it. His hot spend spills inside of Peter's tight, velvety walls. It seems like oceans worth, having been so long since Tony's been able to come, and it fills Peter quickly. It leaks out sticky between them, and the boy gasps, immediately rewarding him with a sharp slap to the face. 

"I told you you weren't allowed to come!" He yells, face slowly growing angry from it's blissful state.

"Peter, I-I couldn't-" Tony's meek retort is cut off by another slap, this time catching his lower lip. He feels hot blood welling up slowly and he licks it away without thinking, face growing tense above the young man. 

"I told you not to come for the whole month. No touching yourself, not during sex, not even in your sleep," Peter glared, pushing himself into a sitting position and shoving Tony away from himself.

Tony hated to admit that he felt more comfortable when there was space between them when Peter was this angry. Which, frankly, was becoming more often. It was almost constant. Tony quickly reached for a discarded t-shirt and began trying to gently wipe up the mess on Peter's flat stomach. 

Peter ripped the shirt from his hands and did it himself, still glaring at Tony.

"I should punish you for not listening."

"You HAVE been punishing me! It's been weeks, I didn't even do anything!" Tony wailed, voice cracking. 

"I told you not to look at that slut," Peter retorted matter of factly. 

"She was our _waitress_ , I just smiled at her!" Tony cried miserably. 

"I don't care if she's the fucking queen of England, I told you not to _look at her!_ " Peter raged, standing from the edge of the bed and heading toward their bathroom.

As soon as Peter disappeared from sight Tony buried his face in his hands and let out a quiet sob, finally letting the hot tears he'd been holding back stream from his eyes. He couldn't remember when things had gotten this way, this bad. 

"Let's go, old man! We need to get showered, we have places to go tonight!" Peter shouted from the bathroom. 

Tony quickly pulled himself together, scrubbing his hands over his face and wiping his nose with the backs of his hands. He was lucky to have Peter, young, smart, sweet thing he was. He should be trying harder to do the things that were asked of him. He made his way to the bathroom as quickly as his aching body would allow. 

The water was already running in the shower when Tony reached him, and Peter was washing himself inside. Tony glanced at himself in the mirror and winced at his reflection, quickly becoming foggy from the shower steam. His once meticulously manicured goatee was scraggly and unkempt looking, threaded with silver. His dark hair lacked it's natural healthy luster and shine. His skin even looked dull and gray. He sighed and turned back toward the shower, just in time to see Peter whipping back the shower curtain angrily. 

A hard, heavy piece of plastic hit Tony in his face, colliding with his nose and eye socket, and he let out a yelp, falling to the floor with his hand over his eye. 

"I told you I didn't fucking want the strawberry shampoo, I specifically asked for _lavender!_ " Peter bellowed indignantly, not caring if Tony was hurt or not. 

"Baby, they didn't have it! I got you the special gentle stuff because I know you're sensitive but they didn't have that kind!" Tony cried, tears falling freely down his face. The right side of his face throbbed from his eyebrow to his cheek bone and he covered it with a hand, scared to look at it in the mirror.

"No, you're just fucking stupid, you can't get anything right. Probably didn't even bother to read the fucking label, did you? Hurry the fuck up and get in here, I want to go out sometime tonight!" Peter yelled.

Tony quickly scurried into the shower, head bowed low in shame and pain. 

****************

Peter had gotten ready quickly, dressing in tight, silver pants that rode low on his waist and a thin tank that hovered just above his hip bones. He put on a delicate line of dark brown eyeliner to make his eyelashes look thicker and more seductive, and dabbed tiny silver glitter across his cheek bones and his full lips. 

"You look so beautiful baby," Tony said in a small voice from behind him, peering at Peter's reflection in the mirror with love shining in his eyes. 

Peter rolled his eyes and sighed almost quietly.  
"Thanks," he replied, not sounding thankful at all. He turned and raked over Tony's appearance, taking in his dark blue denim jeans, crisp white button up shirt and black suit jacket. 

"You look basic. Definitely not something I would have picked out for you, but whatever. Let's get going," he said as he sashayed past the older man. 

Peter hadn't even noticed that Tony had borrowed his concealer to cover the huge dark bruise surrounding his eye. It didn't even really match his skin tone.

*************

When they arrived at the club, Peter had immediately disappeared onto the dance floor, leaving Tony alone and out of his element. He glanced at the bar and turned away. Peter didn't like it when Tony drank. He quickly scanned the large room for a table or somewhere to be out of the way and spotted a small black loveseat near the dance floor. There was also a small end table and another chair.

Thankfully, it was empty, and Tony headed straight for it. He pulled a packet of pain reliever from his pocket and swallowed the pills dry. It wasn't even worth getting a cup of water, Peter would never believe it wasn't alcohol and he wouldn't have the patience to find out. 

Last time Tony had tried that, Peter had dumped the icy liquid over his head and they'd been banned from the club because Peter couldn't control his anger. Tony tried to bring his own water bottles now. 

A glimpse of shimmer caught Tony's eye and he glanced at the crowd of people pulsing their bodies to the overly loud music. Straight ahead, through the crowd of people, Tony spotted him. Peter was sandwiched between two tall men, gyrating and grinding like he was practically fucking them on the floor. 

Tony's heart clenched in hurt, and his jaw dropped slightly as he watched his lithe little boyfriend enjoying these two men more than he'd enjoyed Tony in a long time. 

Tony sat frozen, heart aching in his chest. He watched as the tall, muscular blonde in front of Peter slid his thick thigh between Peter's legs and Peter happily rolled his hips, grinding against it to the beat of the music. The tall blondes' bright blue eyes looked hungrily over Peter. 

Behind him, Peter's arms were draped over the shoulders of a massive mountain of a man with dirty blonde hair and a thick beard. He clutched Peter's hips tightly in his enormous hands, pulling his ass back against his clearly semi-hard cock. Peter's clothes were practically coming off on their own accord. Tony could see the sweat dripping from his boy, shimmering under the lights of the club.

He swallowed thickly, heart thumping and tears springing to his eyes for the third time that night. He honestly didn't know what to do in this situation. Both those men looked like they could beat his ass, and honestly, Peter would probably let them. 

The blonde in front of Peter gripped Peter's chin roughly, pulling his face up to look at him, then he stuck his tongue out, curling the tip up slightly. 

Tony watched as Peter grinned and opened his own mouth in return, tongue thrusting out slightly to meet-

Tony quickly stood up, turning and rushing away from the dance floor, bile rising up in his chest. He collided with a solid body in his haste to find the restroom, and strong arms caught him before he could fall.

"Hey! You alright sweetheart?" The arms yelled over the music. Tony's eyes were too blurry with tears to see who had caught him, but he couldn't hold back his emotions any longer. He wrapped his arms around the broad shoulders in front of him and broke down into sobs.

He felt the warm solid arms hold him for a moment, rocking gently, before beginning to guide Tony from the loud, crowded room. Within a few minutes, they were standing in a small, mostly empty storage room and Tony could hear his thoughts again.

"Here," the voice gently pressed a tissue into Tony's hand that he accepted gratefully, then eased him into a sitting position on top of a couple empty crates. 

Once Tony had mopped his tears away, he was finally able to see clearly.

"Hell of a night for drinking, huh?" The man said quietly, kneeling at eye level with Tony.

The man looked younger than Tony but not as young as Peter, and had icy blue eyes that peered out from under strong eyebrows. His hair was shiny and darker than Tony's own. It reached to his shoulders, and Tony could barely keep himself from running his fingers through it to feel how soft it must be.

"My boyfriend ditched me and is out there dry fucking a couple Norse Gods on the dance floor. Meanwhile, I'm not allowed to have a drink, a say in where we go or an orgasm, so my night is definitely going perfectly," Tony rambled, voice thick with emotion. He only realized that he might be over sharing as he finished his sentence with a blush.

The man rested his hand lightly on Tony's leg, between his knee and his thigh.

"Yikes. So why are you still with him?" The man asked.

Tony's dark eyes met the man's blue ones, startled wide. He looked on in silence for a moment, then lowered his eyes, schooling his expression back to neutral.

"I love Peter. I mean, I love who he used to be. He was so sweet and fun and kind…" Tony trailed off, gazing at the floor. 

"But why are you with him _now?_ I'm going to take a wild guess and say he's the one that gave you that wicked shiner? And now he's here completely ignoring and neglecting you. Why are you accepting that kind of treatment?" He asked seriously. 

Tony reached up to touch his eye self consciously. He must have cried off the makeup.

"It was just an accident-"

"You're lying." The man cut him off before he could even get going.

Tony brought his eyes back up. He looked tired. He felt tired.

"You do not have to accept bad treatment. You deserve better."


	2. Ch. 2

"You do not have to accept bad treatment. You deserve better."

Tony scoffed and dropped his gaze to the floor.  
"I can't do better than Peter. He's my everything. He's beautiful and smart and sexy and young and-"

"And he's out there riding some other dude's dick, isn't he? He gave you a black eye and has you crying in a closet with a stranger. Doesn't sound that fantastic to me," the man said frankly.  
"He might be good looking but is all this really worth that?"

Tony smiled a sad smile and nodded. He knew the man was right, he just hated to admit it. 

"I should get back out there. Peter's really jealous, if he finds me back here with you… well, it wouldn't be good." Tony said, avoiding what the stranger had said. 

The younger man sighed and stood, extending a hand to help Tony back to his feet as well. Tony couldn't help but notice how soft the man's hands were. He was ashamed to find himself craving to feel them in other places. 

"How about I make a little proposition," the man said quietly, waiting a moment as he thought.  
"How about tomorrow, if you want to talk some more, or just get out for a bit, you come meet me at the diner down the street. Let's say, seven? If you show up, we share some coffee, maybe a slice of pie and talk. If you don't, then I'll spend an hour alone nursing some shitty coffee. Sound fair?"

Tony felt his mouth turning up into a smile despite himself and he looked up to meet the stranger's blue eyes. 

"Fair," Tony responded quietly. The two men shook hands and the long haired stranger reached for his wallet, pulling out a plain business card with his number written on it in looping letters, then turned to open the door again. 

Tony took a deep breath and smoothed his hands over his clothes, then wiped away any stray tears from his face, putting the card in his own wallet without a second thought, and they left the room together.

The music got louder as they walked down a cement hallway, and soon lights were flashing and the beat was blaring around them. 

When they reached the crowded room, the stranger took a step to the side and waited for Tony to stand beside him. 

"I'd treat you right," the man stated simply in a loud voice, looking over the crowd of faces. 

Tony felt his face flush at the words but he didn't look at the man. He wasn't sure where Peter was and he didn't need him getting the wrong idea.

"Hope I'll see you tomorrow," he said, before heading toward the bar and disappearing from sight. 

Tony cleared his throat and suppressed the huge smile he could feel trying to conquer his face, then began to search for Peter. It didn't take long to find him.

He spotted his young lover perched on the edge of the bar, muscular blonde between his thighs, knocking back shots and feeding them directly to the other man from his own lips. 

Tony felt his heart sink again, watching Peter with his lips on another man and his head fell slightly, before he took a deep breath and made his way to the middle of the room where the long bar stood. 

Once he reached the two of them, he stood a few steps behind the blonde and cleared his throat.  
"Uh, Peter? I-I think we should get headed home soon. It's getting late," he stated timidly, loud enough that the tipsy young man would hear. 

The blonde man turned his blue-gray eyes on Tony upon hearing his words and smirked, turning back to Peter and snickering loudly, "you brought your dad to the bar with you?"

Tony didn't think he was supposed to hear it, but his heart felt like lead when Peter giggled along.

"He's my _daddy_ ," Peter corrected in his loud drunk voice, wrapping his arms around the well-built shoulders before him. "Help me down, Stevie," he giggled. Peter was so tipsy that he could barely keep his eyes opened, and he draped himself over _Stevie_ without a care to the fact that Tony was standing right there.

Tony watched the blonde man wrap his large hands around Peter's thighs and lift him down from the bar effortlessly, heart aching in his chest. He wanted to say something, to confront the stranger, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. Peter would defend the other man, there would probably be a fight…

"Take me back to my car, Stevie," Peter slurred, gazing starry eyed at the other man. "Can you pay my bill, Daddy? Thanks," Peter said rather than asked, breezing past Tony without so much as a backward glance.

Tony watched them leave, fighting back the tears threatening to spill over again, and slowly pulled his wallet from his pocket. His heart felt like it was in his throat, threatening to choke the life from him right there in the loud, crowded club, but he refused to cry here another time. 

A soft hand rested on his shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts and back to reality. 

"Still going to try to defend him?" A gentle voice said near his ear. He didn't have to turn to know it was the handsome stranger.

"I really hope you show up tomorrow. Seven. I'll wait for you." With that, the man headed for the door himself, slinging a leather jacket over his shoulder. 

Tony paid Peter's tab, whistling under his breath at the amount he'd wracked up, and made his way for the door. The young man had no doubt included drinks for his new "friends".

*******************

Peter sat on the hood of the car, noisily and sloppily kissing the blonde man, legs wrapped around his waist and grinding his hips against the blonde vigorously, moaning wantonly. They may as well have been fucking on Tony's car.

"Hey, can you not fuck my boyfriend on top of my car, please?" Tony said in an annoyed voice, surprising even himself. 

The man turned around with an amused expression on his face and snorted before taking a step away.

" _Boyfriend?_ " He repeated incredulously, with a dopey, booze fueled grin on his face. "I thought he was your daddy?"

Peter quickly jumped from the hood of the car, pulling his thin tank top back down around his torso. He placed his palms against the man's strong chest and laughed.

"It was nice meeting you, Steve. I'll see you around sometime," he said before giving the man a firm push back toward the door of the club. 

"Get in the car, Peter, please," Tony pleaded, struggling to keep his voice even. 

"I'm getting there, Christ," Peter groused, eyebrows furrowing through his alcohol haze. He stumbled his way to the passenger side and clumsily slid in. 

Tony didn't bother trying to talk to Peter the whole ride back to their house. He wouldn't get anything intelligible and it would likely just make the younger man angry. 

When they arrived, Tony dutifully aided Peter from the car and through the door, leading him gently to their bedroom. Peter could barely stand up straight, and Tony had to wonder how much of the bill he paid had actually been ingested by Peter himself. 

He lay Peter down, easing off his shoes and tight pants, then headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. 

When he returned, he set the glass on a nightstand beside the bed and sat gently next to Peter.

"Made some new friends tonight, huh?" He asked, chest clenching at the memories from the night. Peter giggled and squirmed as he ran his fingers up and down across his body.

"Steve's such a better kisser than you," Peter slurred out, eyes closed and barely conscious.

It felt like a punch to the gut, and Tony had to take a moment to gather himself before continuing.

"Did-did you… did you fuck them?" He asked shakily, afraid to know the answer.

Peter's face scrunched up and he let out a little whine.  
"Noooo, Thor had to leave so early, and Steve wouldn't do it in the bathroom."

Tony's blood turned to ice in his veins. Peter had _tried._

He slowly stood and left the bedroom, no longer interested in what the younger man had to say. He sat on the couch in the dark living room and wished he had a bottle of whiskey somewhere. Lord knows he could use a drink. 

He let himself cry silent hot tears of bitter regret and betrayal, and thought about the handsome stranger that he'd met. He'd never asked for a name. 

He remembered the way his hands felt so soft and warm, and suddenly he found himself imagining a different life. One with happiness and smiles and blue eyes that looked at him adoringly. He felt ashamed, but his fantasy seemed so much brighter than the life he'd ended up in. 

He hated to think that it might be time to call it quits but… Peter didn't even act like he _liked_ Tony anymore, let alone loved him. 

Tony would go to the ends of the Earth for the beautiful young man that lay sprawled half naked in his bed. Peter acted like showing Tony affection was a hateful chore. 

Tony realized that it had been so long since he'd felt a hand touch him lovingly, and he craved to feel a soft warm hand on his skin again.

He quickly decided that he had a powerful need for coffee the next evening. 

*************

Tony woke the next morning to Peter's small hands shaking him awake. It was already late morning and the sun was shining brightly through the windows.

"Tony!" Peter whined. "Where's the headache pills?" He asked pitifully, clutching his head in his other hand.  
"Why didn't you take care of me?" He demanded. "You should have left me some pills!"

Tony groaned and sat up, standing quietly and heading for the bathroom cabinet. Of course Peter didn't know where they were, he never got them himself. He grabbed the bottle and headed back to the young man, handing him three.

Peter sat on the couch and moaned softly.

"Why didn't you stop me from drinking so much?" He asked, popping the pills and swallowing them.

Tony scoffed and decided to tell him the truth.

"You ditched me last night, remember? You spent your whole night grinding on a couple blonde guys' dicks and feeding them shots. Why didn't you ask _them_ to take care of you?" He asked with a wry smirk. 

Peter glared up at Tony.  
"Don't talk to me that way." 

His face softened after a moment. "Can you make me some coffee, daddy?" 

Tony let out a frustrated sound and rose, quickly heading for the kitchen. He slammed all the cupboard doors and items as he made Peter a pot of coffee. 

"Of course, your majesty, anything for you. As a matter of fact, _everything_ for you, right?" He groused loudly. 

A part of him wanted to throw Peter out the front door for good, but a bigger part of him was so scared to lose Peter. What if Peter left him? What if he left for a younger, blonder man? He heaved a sigh and tried to calm himself. He shouldn't upset his young lover. 

He quickly poured a cup of coffee, fixing it the way Peter liked, and carried it back to him.

"Here, sweetheart. Be careful."

Peter sipped the coffee, glaring at Tony over the rim of the cup. 

"What the fuck happened to your eye?" Peter demanded suddenly, setting his mug down on the coffee table. 

Tony glanced over at a mirror that hung on the wall and quickly looked back away. The bruise was so much darker and worse today. 

"You did this to me," he admitted quietly. 

Peter scoffed. "I did no such thing," he denied, look of guilt clear on his face. 

Tony just nodded. "Okay. I'm going to take a shower."

He headed for the bathroom, leaving the groggy, hungover boy on the couch. 

Tony stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself. He was so unkempt and disheveled looking. He pulled out his grooming kit from beneath the sink. It had gone untouched for so long that it was dusty. 

He pulled out his tools and carefully began to sculpt his facial hair in the way he once had, ornate and meticulous. He wondered if the man from last night had thought he looked messy, then his heart gave a thump in his chest at the thought of the man. 

He was going to see him tonight. He was more excited than he had been in a long time and it made him feel guilty, knowing Peter was out on the couch nursing a headache. He should try harder with Peter. And he should definitely keep things platonic with the other man. He was so hurt by the things that Peter had done to him, he couldn't possibly turn around and do the same thing back. 

Once he finished shaving, he looked at himself again in the mirror and smiled. He hadn't looked like himself in a while. He quickly showered and decided to apply product to his hair. He was going to look his best. 

When he went to the bedroom to dress, he found Peter sitting on the bed, smiling at his phone. He'd gotten dressed and combed his hair. 

Tony quietly walked to the closet to pick out something nice. He chose his favorite pair of worn, dark blue jeans and a comfortable long sleeved shirt, and checked himself over in the mirror. He smiled. He really did look good, and it made him feel nice. 

When he walked out of the closet, Peter smiled at him.

"You look nice, daddy."

Tony's heart pounded again. He couldn't remember the last time Peter had said that to him. He slowly crossed over to the bed, slightly nervous that he was reading things wrong, and began to crawl up the bed to Peter.

"Thank you baby, that makes me feel really good," he admitted honestly.

Peter smiled, and then his phone buzzed on the bed next to him. He quickly picked it up, ignoring Tony in front of him. 

Tony felt nervous but continued on, timidly kissing at Peter's throat as he read his message. Peter giggled and Tony couldn't be sure if it was because of him or the message. 

"I lo-"

Before Tony could finish his sentence, Peter cut him off, drawing back slightly and pulling his knees up between the two of them, effectively shutting Tony down. 

"Daddy, you should go out tonight," he announced. Tony sat back on his haunches. 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I wanted to have a friend over, and I thought you should go out and see a friend too. You know, have a sleepover, get out for a while."

Tony's heart dropped again.

"You mean, you want me to leave for the night so you can have someone else over," Tony clarified in a sad voice. 

"If you want to say it like that, sure," Peter replied nonchalantly.

Tony's head dropped. 

"Who?" He asked, though he knew the answer.

"Just a friend," Peter responded.

" _Who?_ " Tony repeated more forcefully.

Peter rolled his eyes and huffed in annoyance.  
"Steve," he admitted. Tony shook his head sadly. 

After a moment of silence, Tony looked mournfully up at Peter.

"What can I do, Peter?" He asked, holding back tears. Peter's face turned quizzical. Tony pressed on. 

"You want me to dye my hair blonde? Want me to spend fourteen hours a day in the gym, you-you want me to treat you like a piece of meat?" Tony's voice cracked on the words. "Please, just tell me what to do. Anything, anything!"

Peter rolled his eyes and slid from the bed, walking toward the door.

"Please just go out tonight. Stay somewhere else."


	3. Ch. 3

Tony didn't need to be asked twice. He was already planning to go out for the evening, so being asked to leave, albeit for a heartbreaking reason, was kind of a blessing. He wouldn't need to think up an excuse. 

Tony splashed a little cologne on the hollow of his throat and ran his fingers through his hair a last time, then turned to leave for the evening. It was half-past six and he didn't want to be late. 

He took in Peter's appearance sadly, all bare arms, tight pants and peachy make-up. His curls we're coiffed and fluffy and his lips were perfectly pink. And ready for someone else.

Tony sighed and grabbed his jacket, looking back at Peter.

"I love you, sweetheart. Really, I love you."

"Love you too, Tony. He's going to be here soon!" Peter urged. Tony nodded and walked out the front door. 

He was just in time to see Steve pulling up in his own car and a flash of anger shot through him. He stood and waited for the man to exit his car.

"Evening, sir. I'm here to see Peter?" Steve stated. Tony wasn't sure if he remembered him from the night prior or not. He clearly still thought he was Peter's father. 

Tony walked close to Steve and looked him dead in the eyes without an ounce of friendliness. He leaned close and growled in his ear,

"This is my house." He pointed at his car. "That's my car you were fucking Peter on last night. And it's my bed that you'll be fucking _my_ boyfriend on tonight. Don't forget that." He looked at Steve for another uncomfortable moment amd watched as his face drained of color, then he walked to his own car, turning the engine over and peeling out of the driveway before he could watch Steve enter his house. 

*******************

Tony parked a little ways down the street from the diner and sat in his car for a moment. He still had a few minutes until it was seven and he didn't want to seem too eager, showing up early. 

He fidgeted with his car keys and jiggled his leg nervously. He hadn't been on anything like a date in so long, and he was so excited to see the dark-haired stranger again. He didn't want to admit just how excited he was.

He couldn't wait to have some kind of friendly conversation, shared smiles, not having to worry about what he said, or being hit for it. 

He quickly opened his car door and stepped out, closing the door behind him before he could lose his nerve. 

From the outside the diner looked like an older building, faded light yellow and pink paint peeling slightly from the bricks. Tony opened the door, heart thundering, and looked around.

The inside of the building was very different from the outside. It was a modern idea of a classic carhop style diner. Each booth had a partition between them and a small jukebox sat on each table.

Tony scanned the diner and quickly spotted what he was looking for. 

At the very last table in the back corner sat a man with inky dark hair and crystal blue eyes, grimacing over a cup of coffee. Tony chuckled quietly to himself. 

Before he had a chance to even consider leaving, the man spotted him. His face broke into a wide grin and he quickly stood to meet Tony. 

Nervous excitement churned in his stomach and he went to greet the stranger. 

"Hey! I'm glad you decided to come! I was really hoping I'd see you tonight," the man said, placing a warm hand on Tony's shoulder and leading him to the small booth. Tony swallowed the butterflies in his stomach and smiled. 

The man reached to the counter next to them for a clean cup while Tony took off his jacket and slid into the booth, and poured Tony a coffee. He sat the plain white mug in front of Tony before sitting back down. 

"Damn, you look real nice. I like the, uh-" the man gestured toward his chin with his hand and Tony felt his cheeks twinge pink.

"Thanks, I just cleaned up a little today. Uh, so I never got your name?" Tony replied, shifting the focus off of himself. 

The younger man tucked a loose strand of dark hair behind his ears and sat back, extending his hand for a shake. 

"I'm Bucky. You?" He replied. Tony accepted the hand and smiled.

"I'm Tony."

Tony noticed that the man had his hair pulled into a loose, messy bun caught between high and low on the back of his head, and imagined what it would be like to run his fingers through it. Bucky also had a few freckles lightly dusted across his face, almost too light to notice, and Tony saw specks of green and gold in his blue eyes. 

"Your shiner looks worse today," Bucky commented.

"Gee, thanks for pointing that out," Tony coughed awkwardly.

"Sorry, that was stupid to say. But… while we're on the subject... How's things with the good old boyfriend?" He asked, looking down at his cup and stirring it absently. 

Tony looked down at his own cup and fidgeted with the curved handle. 

"He's fine… he's.…," Tony sighed and dropped the pretenses. "He's asked me to stay somewhere else tonight," Tony admitted, embarrassed. 

"You guys have a fight?" Bucky asked, lifting his cup to his lips. His full, red lips that looked so soft…

"No, he… he's having his friend over for the night. The one from the club," Tony stated, turning his attention away to look at anything but Bucky's eyes. 

"Wow. And that's okay? You guys have that kind of relationship?" Bucky asked earnestly.

"Uh, no, actually. We don't," Tony said quietly. 

Bucky cleared his throat awkwardly and was quiet for a moment, before deciding, "we should get pie."

Tony let out a quiet chuckle. 

"Pie?"

"Yeah, who doesn't like pie, right? And then if you want, we can talk over dinner."

"Wait, you want to get pie and _then_ have dinner?" Tony laughed with an incredulous look.

"Yeah, why not? No one said you had to live by someone else's rules. If you don't want to play the same way, don't, right?" Bucky said with a smile, flagging down a waitress.

He informed the woman that came over to take their order that he wanted a piece of plum pie to share and she quickly left to place the order.

Tony had a questioning look on his face and Bucky laughed. Tony liked the way Bucky didn't care what anyone else thought. It was kind of a refreshing break from being worried about everything and always trying to play by the rules. 

"I like plums, alright? You'll love it."

Tony smiled and let out a deep, calming breath and looked over Bucky. The way his hair fell into wispy tendrils that looked feather-soft around his face, his dark stubble surrounding lips red like strawberries. Tony felt himself longing to reach out, to touch any part of him and he sighed. Clearly, he was attracted to the man, and it made him feel guilty. 

Tony rested his arm on the table and relaxed a little in his seat. 

"So, what are you going to do tonight? I mean, do you have a place to stay?" Bucky asked in a quiet voice. Tony closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the booth for a moment while he thought. 

"I don't have anything planned yet. Maybe I'll go to a twenty-four-hour book store and read all night. Or maybe I'll just sleep in my car," Tony said, opening his eyes to look at his cup of bitter coffee.

Bucky's soft fingertips gently slid down the inside of Tony's wrist, encircling it in a loose grip. It sent jolts of electricity down Tony's spine and straight through his dick. He couldn't help the sexual response, he hadn't been touched so sensually in a very long time. 

His face burned red almost immediately and he shifted awkwardly on his seat to hide his growing interest, but he held his wrist firmly still.

"You could come home with me. No expectations. We can do anything you want to," his voice had grown a shade darker, more gravelly, and Tony swallowed thickly.

"I-I couldn't, I mean that's-"

"Wrong?" Bucky asked expectantly. Tony nodded. He could feel his body begin trembling at all the sexual thoughts that began flooding his mind, and he quickly shook his head to try to get rid of them. 

"But it's okay for little sweetie to be getting railed by club-goer-Chester in your bed?" 

He had a point. Peter was blatantly fucking someone else, and Tony never consented to it. They hadn't mutually agreed on it, Peter had just kicked Tony out. 

Tony looked at Bucky and subconsciously licked his lips. 

Just then, the waitress came back with a slice of pie and set it between them. 

"Thanks doll," Bucky said to the waiter, quickly picking up a fork and spearing a bite. "Try this," he told Tony, holding it out to feed it to the man. 

Tony blushed. He was used to being the one on the opposite end of the fork. It was strange to be fed by someone. Tony wasn't sure if he liked it or not. 

Tony watched Bucky's eyes, watching his lips intently, and he saw the man's pupils rapidly grow and dominate the icy pools. He decided he liked it.

He opened his mouth and accepted the bite, and Bucky pulled the fork from his lips excruciatingly slowly. 

"It's plum and pear with juniper berry," Bucky's voice had grown soft and quiet. "We make it fresh."

Tony had to admit, it was the most delicious pie he'd ever tasted.

"We?" Tony repeated, "You work here?" Bucky smiled. 

"This is my place, I own it. I work in the kitchen a lot, some days I'm out front. But I'm always here if you need to find me," he winked and slid the fork into his own mouth, licking the prongs suggestively. Tony blushed and smiled. 

Bucky reached over to the small jukebox on the edge of the table and pushed a few buttons, searching for song to play. Tony had forgotten all about the jukeboxes. Within a few minutes, an acoustic song had begun to play. It sounded familiar to Tony but he couldn't quite place it. 

_I won't lie to you  
I know he's just not right for you  
And you can tell me if I'm off  
But I see it on your face  
When you say that he's the one that you want  
And you're spending all your time  
In this wrong situation  
And anytime you want it to stop_

They spent the evening chatting and sharing bites of pie and dinners that they ordered later, and by the time the night had grown late, Tony was feeling so much better than he had that morning. 

Once a waitress had cleared their table, Bucky stood and offered his hand to Tony, helping him stand from the booth.

"Come with me. We'll go back to my place. Pop in a movie, maybe make some drinks?" He smiled and stepped close to Tony, invading his personal space but not actually touching Tony.

Tony could smell cinnamon and leather and lavender soap on the man, and the scent intoxicated his head. His eyes focused on Bucky's full lips and he nodded. Anything the man said would sound like a brilliant idea right at that moment. 

"Great, let's go," Bucky said with a big smile, grabbing Tony's hand firmly but gently and leading him from the diner. 

Tony followed Bucky in his own car, declining a ride with the man in case he decided he needed to leave. They drove a little ways away from the downtown area and toward a more rural area, where houses were spread far apart from one another. 

Bucky's house was modest, not too small but not excessive, with a basement and a crows nest above the ground floor. It was painted a muted shade of sky blue that resembled the color of the diner and reminded Tony of Bucky's bright eyes. 

The home was set back away from the road, and the yard was decently sized, with a long driveway that had a turnaround and plenty of room for both to park. 

Tony had never really been in the country, save for a few camping trips throughout his life, but those were usually at a campground near the city in a cabin that had all the necessities and a few extras too. When Tony stepped from his car, he felt like he was truly in the most peaceful place he'd ever been. 

The night sky above was nothing like the one he was used to. He stared up at the beautiful swirls of inky black and gemstone indigo. With no light pollution for miles, the stars flickered and glimmered like molten-gold angel fire. He was awed by the beauty that surrounded him. 

He could hear crickets chirped loudly in the grass, and a warm, gentle breeze blowing through the trees nearby, reminding him what a beautiful summer night he was in the midst of. It was so much like heaven, and Tony felt like he never wanted to leave. 

"Don't get out of the city much?" He heard Bucky ask, having exited his own car. Tony laughed and tore his eyes away from the dark velvet horizon. Bucky's returning smile was warm.

"You can tell, huh?" Tony responded fondly. 

"Well, why don't we skip the movie and hang out here tonight?" Bucky suggested. "I have a pretty sweet set-up in the backyard. We can stargaze and just talk."

Tony smiled and felt his heart flooding with excitement. He'd never done that before.

Bucky reached to take Tony's hand and lead him carefully to the back yard, where he was immediately taken aback. 

There was a large wooden deck extending from the back of the house, and it's exposed wooden supports were wrapped in silvery-white strings of lights that mirrored the stars. 

A short runway, jutting out from the edge of the deck, housed a white painted pole that supported the strangest swing Tony had ever seen. 

It was big and made of wicker. Patches of red, orange, yellow and white came together to form an almost round, egglike shape. Inside were large flat pillows, all arranged to create an almost nest-like effect. It looked big enough to hold at least four people, and there was a large, thin blanket piled up inside. 

"It's very comfortable. Why don't you go ahead and hop in and I'll grab us some drinks. Want a beer?" Bucky asked. 

Tony almost said no immediately, then thought better of it. Peter wasn't there to yell or hit or manipulate. Why not have a beer? Just one would be fine, right?

"Sure, I'd love one," Tony smiled. Bucky turned and went through a sliding glass door that lead into his home. Tony noticed he didn't keep it locked, but then who would break in all the way out here?

Once Bucky had disappeared inside, he walked out onto the runway. It was like a short pier that lead to an ocean of thick green grass instead of water.

He poked at the wicker chair and it didn't budge. It seemed sturdy enough. He gently pressed his hand down on it, then slowly increased the pressure. It still didn't budge. 

He nervously brought up his knee and slowly climbed inside, relieved that it still didn't move at all. He got himself settled and looked up at all of the glittering stars and sighed. 

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" 

Tony jumped, then laughed. He hadn't heard Bucky coming back. The man set down a large bottle, two glasses and a bowl of strawberries, then climbed onto the chair with plenty of confidence that Tony hadn't had. 

He settled himself close enough that his thigh gently rested against Tony's, and the older man felt himself blush at the contact. 

"I'm outta beer, sorry doll. But I found some champagne already chilled," he reached for the bowl of strawberries and rested them in Tony's lap, then grabbed the bottle and glasses. 

"Champagne and strawberries, am I right?" Bucky said with a smile as he filled the flutes with the bubbling liquid, offering one to Tony. 

"You know, I've never actually tried it," Tony admitted.

"Oh, well here," Bucky reached for the bowl between Tony's legs, grabbed a small berry and dipped it into his own flute, then pulled it out and held it up to Tony's lips. "Try."

Tony hoped the darkness of the night would hide his deep flush. Bucky clearly liked feeding him, and Tony really liked the tingling sensation he got from the attention.

He opened his mouth and bit down, tasting the two sweet flavors mingling together on his tongue. 

"Oops, I dripped a little on your chin. Let me get that for you," Bucky stated with a smirk.

Before Tony could move, Bucky leaned in and licked a drop of champagne from the dip between Tony's lower lip and his chin. 

Tony froze and Bucky smiled at him, blue eyes reflecting the lights from the porch. Tony's heart raced, and he quickly made a decision in his head. 

His hand flashed up and fingers threaded into Bucky's loose bun, gripping firmly but gently, to hold the man where he was. 

Bucky uttered a tiny moan at the feeling and Tony felt his dick harden immediately. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Bucky's, tasting the soft full plump lips thoroughly, like a delicious treat that he hadn't been allowed to enjoy previously. He hoped Bucky wouldn't notice how eager he was, and he hoped he didn't lose control of himself. He couldn't imagine anything more embarrassing than coming in his pants before anything actually happened. 

Bucky pulled back after a moment, gasping softly. 

"Let's put the champagne down so we don't spill it," he said, reaching to put down the bottle in his hand. 

Tony's fingers were still caught in his hair and he laughed when he couldn't reach the ground due to his "leash".

"I'm so sorry!" Tony squeaked, embarrassed and unthreading his fingers. 

Tony quickly drained his champagne flute in one gulp while Bucky placed the bottle down, then handed the younger man the glass to be set down as well.

"It's alright, you can pull my hair," Bucky said in a seductive voice, kneeling up to drape himself over Tony's lap. 

Tony was so excited, he couldn't decide where to put his hands or eyes first, feasting hungrily over the delicious man that _wanted him_ in his lap. 

Tony gingerly placed his hands on Bucky's hips, squeezing gently with his thumbs, then slid one hand up to his stomach, sliding it under the man's shirt to feel the soft skin beneath his belly button. 

He looked up at the man with nervous excitement, then reached his other hand back to his hair again. He felt for the little tie that held his hair up and gently slid it from Bucky's long hair, watching it fall and cascade around his face and shoulders. 

He looked so beautiful, bright eyes shining through the darkness and the dark, starlit sky behind him. Stars shimmered through Bucky's messy locks. He looked like some celestial being in Tony's lap.

"Wow," Tony breathed quietly, completely taken aback by the scene before him. Bucky looked downright gorgeous. 

"So… if I remember correctly, when we first met you said that you weren't _allowed_ to have an orgasm."

Tony flushed and looked away immediately. He'd forgotten he'd told the man that. 

Bucky gently took Tony's chin in his hand and turned his head back to look at him.

"Can I see how many times I can make you come?" Bucky whispered, hot breath fanning across Tony's cheeks. 

Tony gulped.


	4. Ch. 4

"Can I see how many times I can make you come?" Bucky whispered, hot breath fanning across Tony's cheeks. 

Tony gulped.

Bucky smiled and took Tony's lack of response as permission, reaching a hand between them and gripping Tony's hard length through his jeans. Tony gasped at the feeling and looked at Bucky with wide eyes. 

"I-I won't, I mean… I don't think I can last very long," Tony admitted, embarrassed and blushing. Aside from his ruined orgasm with Peter the day before, Tony hadn't been permitted to come in weeks. There was a lot of pent up energy and excitement, and Tony was already ready to burst. 

"That's alright doll, you can do it more than once," Bucky winked and stroked Tony through his jeans slowly and firmly, leaning forward to kiss at Tony's neck.

Tony felt himself beginning to sweat and pant and he closed his eyes to slow things down. Bucky was so close and beautiful, Tony could feel his soft hair tickling his throat and shoulders and he smelled so good and his hands were so amazing-

"P-please! Stop!" Tony whimpered. He opened his eyes to meet Bucky's worried blue ones.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked.

"No, I… just don't have any other pants."

Bucky let out a loud, hearty laugh.

"You wanna get naked, then?" He asked with a smile, already pulling his own shirt over his head. 

His body was amazing. Tony quickly reached up to run his hands all across Bucky's soft, bared skin, and he couldn't keep himself from licking and kissing the man's chest. Tony decided to take control, gripping Bucky's waist tightly and pulling him down onto his back. He laid him on the strange, long chair and pinned his wrists above his head, enjoying every bit of him that he could taste. 

He made quick work of sliding his own shirt off, desperate to feel his bare skin against Bucky's, and slotted himself between Bucky's thighs. 

"I'm supposed to be treating _you_ , babe," Bucky breathed, eyes half-closed in pleasure. Tony ground his hips into Bucky's slowly and they both let out a groan at the feeling. 

"You are. This is so amazing, this is like heaven," Tony sighed, licking at Bucky's throat. 

"Do you wanna be the top or the bottom? Because I can't wait to fuck you," Bucky growled, pulling at his hands where Tony held them firmly. 

Tony's heart leaped in excitement. He was always the top, Peter had never even asked if he'd wanted to switch. On one hand, he was already so close, he wouldn't last long inside of Bucky. On the other, he wouldn't last long with Bucky inside of him either, and it had been years since he'd been a bottom. 

"You can fill me with come and fuck me sloppy, Daddy, it's okay," Bucky whispered in a deep growl, voice shaking with excitement.

Tony froze at the name and his eyes widened. That's what Peter called him. His beautiful, curly-haired, soft-skinned little angel. Maybe it wasn't a unique nickname but… Peter was at home. And he was…

Tony looked down at Bucky. He wanted this so bad. But could he really do it? He did love Peter. He always had. But… Peter didn't really love him anymore. Would he regret it of he didn't take this beautiful, blessed, gorgeous, _delicious_ opportunity?

"I-I'm sorry Tony, was that too dirty?" Bucky asked, worry showing on his face and in his voice. 

Tony snapped back to the present at the sound of his name in that velvety smooth voice.

Peter was fucking _Steve._

Fuck Peter. 

Tony released Bucky's wrists and gripped his jeans, pulling them open and yanking them down the younger man's thighs roughly. Bucky gasped and smiled, apparently enjoying being jostled around so roughly. 

Tony yanked Bucky's pants off completely, throwing them onto the deck behind them, and ran his fingers lightly over Bucky's thick thighs, so unlike Peter's delicate, thin ones. He quickly grasped Bucky's hips and flipped him over, and the man immediately arched his back, rising up onto his knees and thrusting his gorgeous round ass into the air. 

Tony delivered a hard smack and the man yelped and shuddered, looking back over his shoulder at Tony. 

Tony stopped and admired the sight. The man was fucking perfect. Muscular back arching to invite Tony inside his perfectly thick ass, bright blue eyes shining over his shoulders and his long dark hair falling wildly over his back and shoulders like he'd already come undone. Tony could have come right there. 

"How do you like it?" Tony couldn't keep the growl out of his voice as he slowly peeled the boxers from Bucky's hips. 

"I like it all, Tone. Just give it to me," Bucky begged. 

Tony decided to do just that. He pulled the man's underwear down around his spread knees and Bucky's fat, heavy cock bobbed free, leaking steadily between his legs. He spread Bucky's firm cheeks with his thumbs and his mouth watered at the sight of the little pink treasure hidden there. 

Tony dove in face first, eagerly licking and sucking and pushing inside with his tongue. No need for starting slow, they both wanted it. 

Bucky wailed beneath Tony. It might be late but there wasn't a neighbor around for miles. They could fuck and scream all night and no one would stop them. 

Tony felt himself about to come just from the excitement, and the intoxicating sounds and tastes and he had to pull back. 

He quickly shoved off his own pants, throwing them to the ground and then lined himself up with Bucky's entrance.

"I'm sorry this is going to be so short. Are you ready?" Tony asked, barely able to refrain from just shoving himself home inside of Bucky.

Bucky whined and nodded his head emphatically.  
"Yes! Yes, fuck me, please fuck me, daddy!" He panted like a man running a race. 

Tony wasted no more time and began pressing against Bucky's tightly closed entrance, listening to the hisses and whimpers the man let out. 

He could feel the tight muscle loosening against his barrage and finally, he felt the mushroom-shaped head of his cock breach the man. 

They both released loud noises of pleasure and pain and they stay still panting together for just a moment, then Tony couldn't hold himself back any longer. Bucky was hot and wet and tight and begging for more, and Tony forced his thick cock all the way to the hilt in one slow thrust, pulling Bucky's hips back into himself. 

It was astonishingly good. Tony went wild, fucking Bucky hard and deep and fast, using the man's hips to fuck deeper and deeper. Bucky cried out beneath him and pushed back, clearly loving the rough fuck.

It didn't take long before Tony was coming with a loud moan, continuing to fuck through his orgasm. He pumped Bucky full of come, and it dripped out from inside of Bucky in wet plops. 

Tony felt himself growing hard again before he even stopped thrusting his hips, and decided not to stop. He could fuck Bucky like this all night. Bucky would let him.

He reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Bucky's hair, jerking his head back.

Bucky cried out but didn't say a word to stop Tony.

"God, you're fucking amazing. So fucking sexy and dirty. You want me, don't you?" Tony rambled to Bucky. 

"Yes! Yes! I want you inside me, you're so big inside me! I want you to fuck me all night! Please Tony, just keep fucking me!" Bucky cried. 

Tony grinned. He felt amazing. He hadn't had such an eager lover in longer than he could remember, and it felt so good to give his everything to someone that was actually asking for it. Begging for it.

Before long, Tony was coming again, filling Bucky once again with hot, sticky juices. He released his grip on Bucky's hair and slowly pulled out of the younger man, panting loudly. 

"I'm sorry if I was too rough, it's been a while since…" Tony trailed off. He didn't need to talk about Peter right now. He wished he could stop thinking about him. 

Bucky rolled over with a groan and smiled at Tony, his hand lightly hovering over his own throbbing erection. 

Tony felt guilty when he saw it. He'd been chasing his own needs and completely ignoring Bucky's. 

"I'm sorry baby, let me take care of you," Tony said, reaching to grasp the man. 

Bucky slapped his hand away and grinned.  
"That was two. I said I wanted to see how many times I can make you come, didn't I? Besides, I like to edge myself and come at the end," Bucky stated. 

Tony wasn't entirely sure what the man meant but he still felt guilty at the sight of Bucky's thick cock throbbing in the cool night air. And he couldn't lie, his mouth was watering a little. 

"Can I just taste you? Just a little bit?" Tony asked sweetly. Bucky chuckled and sighed. 

"I'd like that, but you have to stop when I ask," Bucky replied. 

Tony nodded his head and then eagerly dropped forward between Bucky's legs. He slurped Bucky down hastily, causing the younger man to cry out in surprise. His hips canted up into Tony's mouth gently and bumped the back of Tony's throat. 

Tony moaned happily around the cock stretching his lips and sucked and laved at it sloppily. It was heavy and hot and the skin was soft against his tongue. He could feel it throbbing against the back of his throat and he sighed contentedly. He was made for sucking cock. 

Tony opened his throat and began taking Bucky as deep as he could, drooling and moaning as he did, wet squelching sounds permeating the night sounds of crickets in the grass. 

Within a few minutes, Bucky was gripping Tony's hair tightly and yanking him off.

"Stop, stop, that's too close," he whimpered. Too close? Tony didn't understand. 

"Did it hurt?" He asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

"No, I was about to come," Bucky panted, trying to calm down. 

"Isn't that the point?" Tony laughed. 

"Do you know what edging is?" Bucky asked with a smile on his face. Bucky seemed to be always smiling, Tony loved it. He shook his head no honestly.

"It's when you get yourself almost to the edge and stop. You calm down a little bit, let your orgasm slip away a little. Then," he reached down and touched his cock lightly with his middle finger, running it along the vein underneath lightly. His cock seemed to reach up for more friction on its own. 

"Then when you touch yourself again, it feels even better than before." Tony watched Bucky's eyes fall shut and sighed at the beauty of the bright blush running across his cheekbones. 

"You keep doing it until you can't handle it anymore. Then, when you come it practically sends you to another dimension, it's so good," Bucky finished, opening his eyes to smile at Tony. 

"Oh." Tony couldn't think of anything better than that to say. It sounded like fun. 

"Can I help you?" 

Bucky chuckled, then took Tony's hand in his own, guiding his finger lightly over his cock. Tony's skin bloomed into goosebumps at the light sigh of pleasure that Bucky let out. He couldn't help his eagerness at wanting to touch Bucky and his fingers curled lightly around his length.

"Ooh ooh, gently. I'm already so close," Bucky panted. 

This was like heaven. Everything was all so beautiful. Tony wished the night could last forever. 

They fucked again, slowly this time. Bucky climbed into Tony's lap and rode him to another orgasm. Their hands roamed all over each other and their bodies slid against each other perfectly, deliciously, slicked with sweat. 

"Thank you Bucky," Tony panted when he came.

"For what?" Bucky moaned, beginning to feel overwhelmingly full of Tony's come. 

"Giving me the best night of my life," Tony whispered into his ear. 

Tony came six times before he finally came dry, whimpering into Bucky's ear. 

The sky was beginning to grow purple, the first signs of dawn, and Tony could see the top of the tree line becoming visible. The stars were beginning to fade and wink away from sight and the two were feeling worn out. 

"It's your turn, baby," Tony said, looking into Bucky's tired eyes. Bucky hesitated, then nodded.

"It won't take me much, just a little touch," he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Tony reached forward gently and lightly gripped Bucky's cock. He gave it two gentle strokes and Bucky's whole body trembled and convulsed violently. He seemed to lose all control of himself and he let out broken moans and wails into the morning air. 

Tony leaned forward while Bucky's eyes were shut and sealed his lips around the head of Bucky's cock. He gave a firm suck and Bucky was screaming out as he came hard, hot and forceful into Tony's throat.

Tony swallowed, then gently licked Bucky's cock clean, glancing up at the younger man's face. 

He looked so blissful. Tony could do this every day.

Finally, they were both completely spent, exhausted and ready for sleep.

"You wanna go inside?" Bucky mumbled, eyes barely opened. Tony smiled and shook his head. 

"Here's fine," Tony yawned. Bucky grabbed the thin blanket and draped it over the two of them, ignoring the sticky, come soaked mess that they both were, and they fell asleep almost immediately. 

****************  
"Tony, _what the fuck._ "

Tony heard someone saying his name. Someone sounded angry. 

He stretched and turned a little, still being pulled into the deep embrace of sleep, but the someone persisted. 

"Tony! Wake the fuck up!"

He sighed and cracked an eye opened to see what the noise was. The sun was shining brightly overhead and birds were singing all around. Was he outside? He lifted his head up and shook it a little to clear it. A hand carded fingers into his hair gently and he realized he was sleeping using someone's stomach as a pillow, and his chest and waist were being bracketed, nestled between someone's strong thighs.

"Peter?" He slurred, still exhausted.

"Yes, it's fucking Peter-what the fuck are you doing?!" The someone shrieked. 

The hand in Tony's hair slid down his neck and onto his shoulders and he realized that the hand and the someone talking weren't the same… someone. 

He forced his eyes opened and lifted his head again, searching harder for the voice. He was greeted by an angry Peter, looking down on him with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked furious. 

The hand on his shoulder was joined by another hand, running down his sides and the knees came up to drape over his body. 

Tony glanced beneath him and saw Bucky still out cold, hair wild and crazy around his head. He was… naked, they were both naked.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh-

"Fuck," Tony mumbled, struggling to lift himself from Bucky's grasp. He had to peel the blanket off in the places that it had dried to his skin from the come. Luckily, as he stumbled down to the ground, he saw that they both at least had boxers on. Not that it would help much in the situation they were in, but at least he wouldn't have to have an argument completely naked. 

He stood in the thick green grass in front of Peter and felt himself growing nervous. 

"Pete, I-"

"You fucking slut," Peter interjected angrily. "You fucking slut, who the fuck is this?!" Peter demanded. 

Tony turned to look over his shoulder and saw that Bucky had rolled over, beginning to slowly wake up. When he turned back he was met by a sharp, hard slap across his face.

"How could you fucking do this, Tony?!" Peter shrieked, advancing on Tony.

Tony raised his arms defensively in front of his face and took a step backward, bumping into the hanging chair behind him.

"Peter, please stop hitting me, I-" Tony was cut off once again by a hard shove and he fell backward into the chair. 

"I was up all night worried sick about you, trying to call you and text you and you were here fucking this wrestle-mania wannabe?!" Peter screamed, reaching to grab for Tony again. 

Before Peter could get ahold of a fistful of Tony's hair, Bucky grabbed Peter's wrist firmly, stopping it in midair. He was sitting now, next to Tony. He yawned and stretched, clearly not all that bothered by Peter's presence or outburst. 

"Let go of me, you slimy skank!" Peter shouted, trying to yank his arm back. 

Bucky chuckled drowsily. "'Kay," he said, releasing Peter. The younger of the three fell to the ground with an oomph and Bucky stood from his seat, stretching lazily. He sauntered over to the discarded and forgotten bottle of champagne and lifted it to his lips, taking a long draw. 

Tony couldn't help but get distracted by the way the shimmering liquid ran down the sides of Bucky's mouth and down onto his chest. He was so unlike anyone he'd ever met, not caring in ways that Tony cared very much. 

"Seriously, Tony?! You can't drag your eyes away from him long enough to see that your _boyfriend_ is laying here on the ground? Not even going to ask if I'm okay?!" Peter yelled as he angrily stood and brushed invisible dirt from his clothes. 

"Ugh, this tastes like ass. I'm gonna make some coffee," Bucky stated, ignoring Peter completely. "You want some coffee?" He asked, pointing to Tony.

Tony nodded and watched as Bucky staggered drowsily toward the house and through the sliding glass door. 

Suddenly, Peter's words caught up with him.

"Wait a minute, how could I do this? _Me?_ As if you didn't ask me to leave my own house for the night so you could fuck some blonde gym rat?" Tony stood from the chair and advanced on Peter angrily. It surprised both of them, Tony had never so much as raised his voice, let alone called him out on his bullshit. Tony thought maybe having Bucky around for moral support was making him feel more confident to stand up for himself. 

"As if you weren't in _my_ bed last night screaming some other man's name?" 

"I wasn't!" Peter shot back, hands clenched by his sides defiantly.

"Oh really," Tony challenged sarcastically.

"Yeah, really! It seems he met _someone_ on his way in that made him uncomfortable being there," Peter stated, glaring at Tony.

"Oh, so you're mad that I messed up your booty call?" Tony growled, stooping to pick up his jeans from the ground and slide them back on.

Just then the sliding door opened again and Bucky stepped halfway through.

"Hey, you want coffee?" He asked, pointing at Peter. Peter just glared at him, so Bucky shook his head and continued through the door, sliding it closed again with his foot. He had grabbed a pair of pants while he was inside and thrown them on like Tony had. 

He casually walked back over to where the two stood and handed Tony a mug, pressing a quick kiss to Tony's shoulder as he walked past and sat back down on the hanging chair, throwing his feet up and crossing his ankles lazily. He lay back, sipping coffee and watching the sky as if the dramatic scene before him wasn't even happening.

Tony sipped the coffee that had been handed him and found that it had been doctored perfectly to his tastes. 

"Wow. Thanks, Buck, how'd you know?" He asked the man over his shoulder.

"I watched how you fixed yours at the diner last night," he replied simply.

"Are you two _done?_ " Peter snapped loudly, eyes wide in disbelief. "Seriously, did you two get married last night?!"

"Wait a minute, you were trying to call him all night?" Bucky asked Peter, pointing toward Tony.

Tony turned to Bucky. "I had my phone shut off. I didn't think I'd need it," he answered, turning to give Peter a look. 

"So then, how did you find where I live?" Bucky asked Peter, face scrunched up in suspicion. "It's not exactly like I'm listed, and you don't even know my name." Tony turned his attention back to Peter quietly. 

Peter swallowed and shuffled his feet a little before he answered. 

"I… I tracked your car." Peter's voice was quiet. 

Tony and Bucky were quiet for a moment too.

"You… you tracked my…. Like, with a tracking device?" Tony asked, reeling from the information. Peter nodded. 

"I usually track your cell phone but it was off…" Peter admitted. "Listen, why didn't you come home? It's the middle of the afternoon! If you hadn't been gone all day and night, I wouldn't have had to track you!" Peter defended. 

"I left because you asked me to. And because I'm so used to doing everything you could possibly ask of me. Because I worshipped you, and you didn't appreciate me," Tony answered, surprising even himself with the coherent thoughts coming out of his mouth. 

"W-wait… are you… breaking up with me?" Peter asked, beginning to show panic on his face. 

Tony looked away from Peter, glancing at Bucky over his shoulder. The man was looking back up at the sky, probably waiting for an answer as much as Peter was, just more patiently. 

"I…" Tony didn't know what to say. 

Suddenly, Peter became almost a different person, doing everything he could to persuade Tony's decision. 

"Daddy," he purred, eyes wide and doe-like. "Let's just go home, okay? I'll forget about all of this and we can chalk up Steve to a bad decision that didn't happen. How's that sound?" He took a step forward and reached for Tony's hand, giving it a gentle tug. 

"Let's just go home, okay? And then I can give you a little sugar," he winked, still trying to pull Tony along with him, wiggling his hips a little as he did. He kept trying to loop Tony's arms around his waist, but he just couldn't get the man to take the bait.

"Honestly honey, I won't need any sugar for a long time," he chuckled wryly, glancing down at his feet.

"But I-" Peter was cut off when Bucky sat up again and swung his legs over the side of the chair, perched on the edge of the seat. 

"Sorry darlin', I gave him plenty of sugar last night. Gotta keep your man sweet or someone else will," he winked, enjoying the look on Peter's face as he spoke. 

Peter scowled, then looked back at Tony frantically.

"B-but I-" he leaned close to whisper in Tony's ear. "C'mon daddy, you know how tight this ass is. I'll let you do that thing you like that I never let you do." He pulled back again to look in Tony's eyes. "I'll make you dinner tonight, a-and I'll rub your feet. I'll buy you some wine! Please, daddy, please let's just go get some breakfast and forget this, okay?" Peter was begging by now, tears glistening in his eyes. 

Tony sighed and closed his eyes sadly, before finally looking at Peter. 

"Honey, I would have gladly taken you up on that offer a day before now, but…"

"Daddy, please, let's go home!" Peter wailed desperately.

Tony pulled his hand from Peter's grip and his face grew stern. He needed to keep his emotions in check.

"I can't...I can't be with you anymore, I just can't. Peter, you _hurt_ me. Physically, mentally, emotionally, you hurt me all the time. I don't deserve it and I can't do it anymore. Its time for me to be happy too," he said honestly, feeling his heart pounding in his ears as he admitted it.

Peter fell to his knees on the ground and wrapped his arms around Tony's waist, sobbing and pleading with the man.

"Please daddy, I'm so sorry! I can change! I'll change! I love you! I'll do anything, just please don't leave me!" He wailed. "I promise I can be better than I was! I can be better than _him!_ " Peter cried. Tony gently petted Peter's soft curls, trying not to get caught up in Peter's persuasions and lose his resolve. He couldn't say it didn't absolutely crush him to see Peter like this. He'd always loved Peter. He just finally came to terms with the fact that it wasn't the same Peter that he'd fallen in love with anymore.

If anyone, Tony had himself to blame. He spoiled Peter rotten and eventually, the young man had begun to feel entitled. Tony didn't know when their relationship had turned violent, but he knew that it was over between them. It could never be like it was again. He could still feel his cheek stinging from when Peter had slapped him, and his eye still throbbed from two days prior. He had to end it now.

"Peter, I think you should go home," Tony stated gently. Peter looked up at him with wet, miserable eyes. "I think we still have a lot to talk about, and we need to discuss who's getting the house. But that can wait for now. I think we both just need to have some time to get our heads together."

Bucky quietly stood and walked around the two, heading back for the door. He gestured with his head for Tony to follow, and Tony decided to oblige. 

He gently detached himself from Peter's grip and turned to follow Bucky into the house.

"Wait," Peter's tiny sad voice squeaked. He rose shakily to his feet and closed the distance between them again. 

"C-can I at least say g-goodbye?" He hiccuped.

Tony's heart ached, and he nodded his head. Peter quickly threw his arms around Tony's shoulders and hugged him tightly. 

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you," Peter whispered into Tony's ear. "I do love you, and I'm sorry I wasn't better for you. But… if happy means him," he glanced to where Bucky was still waiting patiently. "Then… I'm happy for you. Just, please don't forget about me. I'll wait, in case you change your mind." He pulled back slowly, unable to make eye contact, then gently kissed the corner of Tony's mouth. 

Tony reached up and cupped Peter's chin gently in his hand, looking deeply in his eyes, then he leaned forward and kissed Peter properly. He was going to miss him, despite everything, and he would especially miss his sweet kisses. 

Truth be told, he didn't know if happiness in his future meant Bucky either, or if the man was just the key to freedom, but he was thankful for the man and grateful to Peter for understanding.

"I'll always think of you, Peter. I hope you find the happiness that you deserve in your life, and I hope you find the peace that you need." 

Tony turned and met Bucky on the wooden deck, slotting his fingers through the other mans' and letting him lead him away from his old life, opening the door for the new.


	5. Ch. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, I just couldn't get this story out of my head.

Bucky hadn't intended to end up in the strange and tense situation he found himself in now. He'd gone to the club with minimal expectations, it had been a long night at work and he'd just wanted to let loose a little. 

Instead, he'd found Tony, heart breaking into a million pieces right in front of him. He could have just walked right past the man, he'd never see him. He saw the look on his face, pure despair, and he could have known that he would be complicated. That he'd have baggage. 

But now, lying trapped under the man on his own cream-colored couch while he tried so valiantly to keep his sobs swallowed down, Bucky was so glad he'd approached the beautiful, broken man.

Bucky ran his fingers slowly through Tony's dark soft hair, scratching gently at his scalp and rubbing his free hand up and down Tony's back firmly. 

"I'm so sorry for all of t-this. I'm sure this isn't h-how you wanted to spend your d-day off," Tony whispered, powering through his own sadness. Bucky could clearly see how much grief Tony was keeping trapped inside, in spite of how much still escaped. He placed a soft kiss to Tony's forehead and squeezed him just a little tighter.

"You're fine. You're perfect. I'm happy to be here for you. You know, it's okay to cry. You just went through a huge thing. You can express your emotions, it isn't healthy to bottle them up," Bucky assured the older man, hoping he was saying the right things. "It's clear that you loved him. I can't imagine how much you're hurting right now."

Tony slowly sat up, grinding away stray tears with the heels of his palms. He still hadn't actually broken down and dealt with the pain yet. Bucky was worried he'd keep it inside for too long. 

"I'm sorry for all of this," Tony gestured vaguely with his hand. "You gave me the best night of sex I've ever had in my life and here I am the next morning crying all over you. Hot, right?" Tony turned to Bucky, clearly trying to hide his wounds with humor and a smile.

Bucky licked his lips, leaned forward and placed a loud, wet kiss to Tony's throat just below his ear. He pulled back just slightly and whispered, "I'm happy to be here for you. If you need to cry, I'm here with a tissue and a shoulder. If you need to sleep, I'm perfectly willing to lay with you. Anything you need, I'm here. Would you like some more coffee?" He asked gently, rubbing Tony's knee reassuringly. 

He heard the man's breath hitch and gasp in his throat, holding back a sob, and Bucky kissed his throat again. He grabbed both of their coffee mugs from the wooden end table in front of them and surreptitiously slid a box of tissues closer to Tony as he stood. The least he could do for the man was keep his coffee hot and his skin caressed, right? He hoped he was doing enough. 

He quickly poured more coffee into both mugs, adding a scoop of sugar to both and a splash of milk to Tony's, before turning to find that Tony had followed him to the kitchen. The man stood watching Bucky's movements with a shy smile on his face, though his eyes looked so far away. 

Bucky smiled in return and slowly met Tony where he stood, reaching his hands up to lace his fingers through Tony's hair. He gently pulled Tony's head down to rest on his shoulder and after a moment of hesitation, Tony wrapped his arms around Bucky's waist and held him tightly. 

"I think I should go home and apologize to Peter. He might still be willing to take me back," Tony whispered. Bucky felt his muscles tense and freeze at the words.

"Please don't do that. I know we don't know each other super well yet and I really have no right to tell you what to do but please, _please_ do not do that." Bucky begged quietly, holding firmer to his grip on Tony. "Remember why you needed to leave in the first place. He was attacking you right in front of me, it had to be worse behind closed doors, right?"

Bucky felt his thin cotton shirt growing wet with Tony's silent, hot tears and he hoped that his words were sinking in. 

"Just give me… a week. A week, and I'll show you what you _could_ have. The kind of relationship that's possible. Can you give me that?" Bucky asked sweetly, lightly peppering Tony's neck and shoulder with tiny kisses. He felt the man shudder at the feeling, and after a moment, Tony nodded his head on Bucky's shoulder. 

Bucky smiled brightly. 

"Good, let me take care of you today, okay?" He pulled back slightly and looked Tony in the eyes. The older man looked so tired. His eyes were lined in shadows and dark creases and his mouth looked incapable of smiling. It hurt Bucky's heart how hopeless Tony looked.

"Let's go take a nap," Bucky suggested, forgetting about the coffee. They'd been up all night and had been woken up shortly after falling asleep, they were both exhausted. Tony nodded and Bucky laced his fingers through Tony's, gently leading him down a long, wide hallway. 

**********************************

Bucky's bedroom was beautiful. Tony loved everything about Bucky's home, the colors, the way the sunlight flooded in from every possible direction. It felt warm, comfortable and inviting. He noticed that Bucky had a few paintings lining the walls in the hallway, all of them paintings full of bright colors. 

Once they reached the end of the hall, Bucky lead them through a doorway on the right. Tony's eyes widened at the sight before him. The bed was big, not as big as his own, but still very large. Tony noted that Bucky had chosen to outfit it entirely in white, no patterns or colors. Just bright, clean, soft white. Tony didn't know why that made him feel safe. 

The walls were white and the cream carpet on the floor felt incredibly soft and plush against his toes. There were decorations and bits of furniture around the room and they were all light gray. When Tony glanced up, he noticed that the ceiling had been designed with slats of wood all across it in the same, matching light color. One of the walls was almost entirely engulfed in a huge window and sunlight poured through the beautiful sheer curtains. 

"I have the most beautiful view of the pond from here. You can see the ducks down there sometimes. Sometimes deer come for a drink too," Bucky told Tony, watching the man take in his bedroom. Tony hadn't even seen a pond when they had arrived late the night prior. He wondered how big the property actually was.

"Can I help you?" Bucky asked, sliding over close to Tony. Tony brought his attention back to the man and was about to ask what he needed help with, but he saw that Bucky was already reaching for the button on his jeans. 

The younger man had given Tony a soft, worn t-shirt to borrow earlier when they had found Tony's discarded long-sleeved shirt wet with dew from the grass. Now, he gently reached his fingers under the worn hem, tracing the top edge of Tony's pants with his fingertips, tickling the skin there. 

Tony's heart began to beat loudly in his ears. He couldn't possibly have sex right now, he didn't even think he could get turned on. What if Bucky changed his mind? What if he didn't want Tony to stay anymore? What if the younger man really only wanted sex? And that was fine, they barely knew each other but-

Tony felt Bucky's fingers hook into his pants and give a tiny tug. 

"Is this okay?" He asked, turning his blue eyes up to meet Tony's wide worried ones. 

Tony gulped and nodded trepidatiously. He liked the way it felt when Bucky touched him, he could at least _try_ to get it up for the young man and he was practically conditioned not to say no for fear of consequence. 

Bucky smiled and made quick work of unfastening Tony's jeans, kneeling down to the floor and beginning to slide them slowly down his legs. 

Shit, was he going to be upset that Tony wasn't already hard? Tony's heartbeat quickly sped up to rival that of a frightened rabbit, hammering so fast that it hurt. He could feel his limbs beginning to shake with his nerves. There was no way he could get turned on with terror pumping through his veins like battery acid. 

Peter would have been so upset. Tony had to be ready when Peter was or else. But this wasn't Peter, this was Bucky. It was okay, he wasn't like the volatile thing, he wouldn't hurt him or make him feel like garbage. He wouldn't hurt him, right? Why hadn't he noticed how big the man's biceps and forearms were before now? His thighs were so thick too, clearly very powerful. What if he _did_ decide he wanted to hurt him? Sure, Peter had hurt him, but Tony was sure it was nothing compared to what this man was capable of.

Tony was so lost in his fearful thoughts that he didn't realize that Bucky had stopped before his jeans had even passed his hips. He'd been staring blankly at the wall with terror etched clearly on his face and he felt humiliation crawling through his arteries. 

"It's okay if you don't want me to do this."  
Bucky's gentle voice startled Tony out of his thoughts and he barely bit back a yelp at the sound. 

"You're hyperventilating," Bucky stated, looking up at Tony with worry. 

Tony felt a tear trying to escape him again and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly. 

"I can't get it up!" He sobbed out suddenly, hands flying to cover his soft member as if Bucky could see it through his jeans and boxers.

"It's just, it's still early and we did a lot last night and I'm just really sad and my libido-" Tony's frantic rambling was cut off by Bucky shushing him. 

"Hey! It's okay! I just wanted to help you take these off!" He stated, tugging lightly at Tony's jeans again as he said it. "I promise I don't want anything more than you're willing to give!" He reassured, taking Tony's hands in his own firmly but gently. "I just thought you'd be more comfortable sleeping without them."

Bucky looked up at Tony as he tried to pull himself together, a few stray tears falling from his tightly closed eyes. He leaned forward and lifted Tony's shirt a few centimeters, pressing feather-light kisses to the soft skin there.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't mean to make you feel so anxious. And I'm so sorry you were ever made to feel like you needed to perform. I promise you, I'll never pressure you into anything at all."

Tony's chest was still rising and falling erratically. He was still trying to choke down all the feelings that had been thrust upon him from the past who knew how long. Bucky couldn't help but wonder when that floodgate would eventually break free. 

"So… is it okay if I help you take these off?" Bucky asked, making a mental note to be more specific in the future. Tony sniffled and slowly opened his eyes, looking down at Bucky, before finally nodding his head slowly. 

Bucky smiled warmly at the older man and kissed his hands, before finally sliding his stiff jeans down his legs slowly. He let his fingertips trail down Tony's skin lovingly, before standing and guiding Tony under the thick, fluffy white comforter.

Tony understood why Bucky had wanted to help him out of his jeans the moment his skin slid against the cool, crisp, clean sheets. They were so comfortable and soothing, lulling his tired body into sleep almost immediately. He lay his head on the fluffy, firm pillow and watched Bucky sliding off his own jeans before crossing to the other side of the large bed. 

Bucky could see that Tony was barely hanging on to consciousness, fighting hard to keep his eyes open and he smiled to himself, curling up tight to the older man. He wrapped his arms around Tony's shoulders and threaded his fingers loosely through his dark hair, rubbing gently at his scalp. Before any time had passed, Tony's breathing had fallen into deep and slow pulls; soundly asleep. 

Bucky twined his legs with Tony's and relaxed, willing himself into sleep as well, happy to be a source of comfort for the broken man. 

He just couldn't believe _how_ broken he was. He couldn't help but feel anger towards the scrawny boy that had done this to this smart, handsome man. He'd have to help Tony unlearn his fear and teach him how to love himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are your thoughts on this story? What do you think might happen next? Where would you like to see this story end?
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know each other, important conversation and smut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer than usual, hopefully that doesn't put anyone off. It was supposed to be sweet and getting to know each other better, I hope it comes across that way!

Tony wakes to the smell of cooking food and the sound of quiet music wafting down the hallway and into the bedroom. He stretches and yawns, taking in how the impending night has dimmed the room through the sheer curtains.

He sees that he's alone in the big bed and throws the covers away, sitting up groggily. He stands and pulls on his discarded jeans, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame his wild bed head, and heads for the door.

As he walks down the long hallway, he stops to take in the colorful pictures on the walls that he'd seen earlier. 

They're all paintings, original ones. Some are abstract, just colors and shapes that combine to invoke feeling. Some are of animals, wild and domesticated. A few are portraits; some of a few young women dressed in party dresses, some faceless men dressed as soldiers. All of them use colors that are impossibly bright and saturated. The brush strokes are wide and minimal. They're all so beautiful, and all signed with the initials "JBB" in the bottom left corner.

Tony takes a few more steps toward the bright lights and the sizzling sounds coming from the kitchen. When he does, he can hear Bucky happily humming and singing along to the music under his breath.

_I'll stop time for you  
The second you say you'd like me to  
Hmm hmm, wanna give you the loving that you're missing  
Baby, just to wake up with you  
Hmm hmm, everything I need and hmm hmm hmm so different  
Tell me what you want to do_

Tony smiles as he reaches the corner, leaning against the wall. He knows Bucky didn't hear him, and he stands back for a moment, just watching.

The man is dancing around his kitchen as he cooks, grabbing a big handful of spinach and tossing it into a skillet filled with browning butter. He reaches to another pan on the burner beside it and gives it a shake, whatever's inside giving a loud sizzle. He then reached for a bottle of white wine from the counter, pouring a splash into the pan and following with a swig for himself. 

His hair was pulled up again into a loose bun. Tony found that this was one of his favorite looks. Loose tendrils of his hair fell down around his ears and the back of his neck. He kept pushing strands from his face with the back of his hand unsuccessfully, and Tony fought back the chuckle that bubbled in his chest at Bucky trying to sing, dance, cook and blow his wispy hairs from his nose. 

He walked quietly behind the man and ran his hand across Bucky's left hip, at the same time pulling the loose hair from his face and tucking it behind his ear to kiss his jaw lightly.

Bucky gasped loudly and jumped slightly, before laughing raucously, firmly wrapping his free hand around Tony's.

"Good morning," Bucky smiled, turning to look over his shoulder at Tony. "You scared me, I thought you were still sleeping!" 

Tony took a tentative step forward, pressing his front against Bucky's back. He felt his skin tingle at the fact that he didn't pull away. 

Tony's face broke into a wide smile.

"I think you mean good evening. I'm sorry I slept so long," Tony said sincerely.

Bucky grabbed Tony's other hand and wrapped it around his waist alongside the first, pulling Tony's arms tight around himself before picking up a spatula and stirring the sauteing spinach leaves. 

"You don't have to apologize, you were exhausted. Rightfully so, too. I didn't wake up too much earlier than you anyway," he replied, reaching to turn the knob on the other burner to off. 

Tony could see that Bucky had made steaks with mushrooms and onions in the other pan and his stomach growled. 

"This looks amazing," he stated, relishing the feeling of the muscular man in his arms. Bucky's soft hair tickled Tony's nose when he moved and Tony smiled, thoroughly enjoying the feeling. " _This_ is amazing," he whispered, leaning his head onto Bucky's shoulder. Bucky thought he might have meant to keep that part to himself, and smiled quietly in return.

"This is nothing, just wait until you're here for a taco night. Taco 'bout great!" Bucky chuckled at his own lame joke and Tony couldn't help the big grin that spread across his face. He loosed his grip, however begrudgingly, from around Bucky's waist to help him set up for dinner. 

Bucky pointed out where the cupboard was that held the plates and cups and where the silverware was, and Tony began setting the table while Bucky finished cooking. 

"You didn't have to cook for me," Tony stated absently as he arranged the silverware into their proper positions. 

"Yeah, well, I like to cook. And I like to eat. And I like you, so really, it just makes sense," Bucky responded, watching Tony's reactions nonchalantly. He dished the food onto the plates and set the empty pans back on the stove.

"Drinks? I still don't have any beer but I've got plenty of wine," he brandished the bottle from the counter as he said it.

Tony laughed quietly through his nose and shook his head.

"I can't-I'm not supposed to…" Tony trailed off and looked down at his shoes, face falling sadly.

Bucky remembered what Tony had said about Peter and alcohol and scoffed under his breath.

"You're a grown man," he said softly, reaching for two wine glasses and pouring some in each. "If you'd like a glass of wine, you can have a glass of wine," he stated, setting the two glasses on the small dining table. He grabbed the crystal water glass that Tony had already set on the table and filled it with cold water, just so he'd still have a choice, then set it next to the wine glass. 

Tony looked up at Bucky and smiled, sadness still in his eyes, but appreciative for the younger man. 

Bucky took a few steps closer to Tony, invading his space, and he watched Tony's eyes widen with each step, smile drooping and muscles tensing.

"It's alright," he said gently, placing a soft hand on Tony's arm. "I just wanted to kiss you," he whispered into Tony's ear. He heard a shaky breath exit Tony's lips and knew he'd been holding it, then pulled back to see Tony's face.

The older man's eyes still held a little fear in them, and he was looking around at the other side of the room, not willing to meet Bucky's eyes. 

"Tony," Bucky cooed gently, drawing the man's attention back. "Can I kiss you?"

Tony's mouth slowly turned up into a smile again, and he swallowed, nodding his head in something that looked close to excitement.

Bucky smiled warmly at him and leaned forward, claiming Tony's mouth with his own. He slowly deepened the kiss, reaching his fingers up to run them through Tony's soft messy hair as he did. Tony was a _really_ great kisser, Bucky wanted to kiss him more often. He felt his hips beginning to seek friction against Tony and quickly broke the kiss, backing away. He didn't want Tony to feel pressured into anything the way he had earlier that afternoon. 

Tony let out a content little sigh and a crooked smile played on his face. Bucky felt his heartwarming at the thought that he'd been able to do that for Tony. He quickly crossed to the other side of the table and sat, motioning for Tony to do the same.

"Enjoy, my dear," he said with a wink, grabbing for his wine glass and taking a swig. Tony reached tentatively for his own and took a sip.

"Sorry I didn't ask how you like your steaks, default around here is medium-rare," Bucky informed, spearing some spinach with his fork and sticking it in his mouth.

"That's perfect," Tony replied, picking up his cutlery to try some. 

"So, you own the diner?" He asked, taking a small bite.

"Mmhmm, my pride and joy. She may not be the greatest but she's great enough for me," he said with a smile. 

"No no, it's beautiful. You're a great cook," Tony stated, taking another bite. "Really, this is delicious!"

"I'm glad you approve," Bucky said with a smile, mouth full and cheeks bulging. Tony couldn't help but giggle. He may or may not be smitten with the younger man, he thought to himself. 

"So, can I ask you a question?" Bucky asked, swallowing and taking a big gulp of his wine. 

"Of course," Tony replied, trying the spinach.

Bucky took another gulp of his wine and topped off his glass again before he spoke. 

"Are you attracted to me?" He watched Tony's face turn red and saw the way he got flustered by the question, waiting for the answer with a smile on his face and a dark eyebrow raised.

"Ye-yes, _ahem_ , yes I am," Tony admitted quietly, face still burning red.

"Hmm. What are you attracted to?" Bucky pressed, same easy smile on his face as he sipped at his wine again.

Tony squirmed in his seat, gaze focused on his drink glasses and the way the bubbles from the wine rose to the top of the glass and disappeared. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat again.

"Ph-physically, you're... _Extremely_ attractive. I… love your eyes, and your smile is so great. I love the way you wear your hair long," Tony's eyes came up to meet Bucky's finally. "I _love_ your hair like that." He shared shyly. 

Bucky flushed slightly and looked down at the table. He wasn't sure if he'd expected such a candid answer or not. He took another gulp of his wine but before he could say anything, Tony continued.

"I really love your voice. Very beautiful, very calming. And I'm not gonna lie, you made some pretty amazing sounds last night," Tony grinned bashfully. "You're smart, funny, strong… I like your freckles," Tony stated seriously. Bucky couldn't stop his laugh from bursting forth at the last confession.

"I guess I didn't expect you to be quite so honest," Bucky chuckled, sipping at his wine again. 

"Okay, one more question?" Bucky asked, draining the rest of his glass. Tony wondered if Bucky was nervous or if he always drank this much. 

"Fire away," Tony answered, taking a gulp of his own wine.

Bucky looked seriously at Tony for a moment, ice blue eyes taking in every detail of Tony's handsome face before he went on. 

"Are you… afraid of me?"

Tony froze and stared at Bucky. How could he tell? Was he that obvious? Had he let something slip? He wasn't really that afraid of him per se, intimidated maybe… I mean, who wouldn't be? Bucky was stacked and jacked. He could probably crush Tony's windpipe like a straw if he wanted to-

"Tony?" Bucky questioned, bringing Tony back from his thoughts. "I can't really tell what you're thinking but… it looks anxious. _Are you_ scared of me?" He repeated, fingers fidgeting with the napkin next to his plate. 

"Uhh, I uh-" Tony cleared his throat, hoping the cold sweat that broke out on his forehead wasn't visible. "I-I mean, you're… you're pretty cut. You know, you-you obviously work out and I-I suppose that could be… _intimidating_ -"

"But you're clearly very strong yourself," Bucky interjected, mercifully cutting off Tony's rambling. "You could probably hold your own against me if you had to, right?"

Tony scoffed. He hadn't been to the gym in ages. He used to consider himself strong but he wasn't so sure about himself now. He turned his face away, glancing at the windows on the far side of the room. It was too dark outside to see anything. 

"Honey? Why are you scared of me?"

Tony didn't actually have a clear answer and he continued to glance around at the things in the room. Anything but Bucky's eyes. 

"You don't have to be scared. First, you _are_ strong. And second, you need to understand that, while strength _can_ be used against you, it can also be used to protect you. And I have absolutely no interest in hurting you. There's no need to be intimidated by me," Bucky pressed gently, not breaking his own eye contact. 

Tony finally met his gaze nervously. "How could you tell?" 

"Babe, you practically passed out when I tried to help you out of your pants this afternoon. And just now when I tried to kiss you, I thought you were going to jump out of your skin. I may be a _little_ intimidating but I'm really not that scary," Bucky chuckled mirthlessly. He couldn't help but think to himself that Peter wasn't exactly intimidating either, scrawny as he was. He couldn't believe how far Peter had seeded himself within Tony's subconscious.

"I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable, honestly, I'm trying to do the opposite. I just want you to know that you're safe with me. I'll keep you safe, Tony," Bucky pressed, blue eyes intently gazing at Tony.

Tony blushed and smiled a bit before he responded.

"Thank you, Buck. I really, truly appreciate it," Tony responded with quiet sincerity. He cleared his throat again, looking like he was trying to decide something in his mind, then stood up and crossed over to Bucky's side of the table. 

He knelt down in front of where the younger man sat and took his big hands gingerly in his own. 

"I'm a huge pain in the ass," Tony began, drawing a surprised chuckle from Bucky. Tony smiled and went on. 

"I definitely have some issues I need to work out, and I'm in a really, really bad place right now, but…. I'm so thankful to you for saving me from the situation I was in. I don't know how much longer I would have stayed with him if you hadn't forced me to see what was really happening. I can't thank you enough for that. I'm not sure what you see in me, or why you decided to be there for me that first night, but god, I'm so thankful for it." Tony could feel tears welling up in his eyes and chuckled, about to pull away to wipe at them. 

Before he could, Bucky gently pulled back his hands and laced one through Tony's hair, the other resting gently against his neck, thumbing at Tony's jaw. He leaned down and parted his lips slightly, pressing against Tony's top lip, sucking it gently between his own.

Tony responded immediately, drawing Bucky's plush lower lip between his and licking across the expanse of it, resulting in a low growl and a nip from the younger. 

Soon, they were lost in a passionate, slow kiss, tasting the wine on each other's tongues and moaning softly. Tony found himself crawling forward on his knees, feeling the heat from Bucky's body pulling him closer like a magnet until he was completely slotted between his thighs. He couldn't help but to wrap his hand around Bucky's waist, sliding him closer to the edge of his chair until he could feel his younger body pressed flush against his own. Bucky lifted his legs and wrapped them around Tony's torso, pulling him in tight, making it impossible for Tony to ignore the desire in the younger man's pants. 

Tony chuckled and gently pried himself away from Bucky's clutching grasp, panting quietly for a moment. 

"We should wait a little bit," Tony whispered into Bucky's throat as the younger pulled at Tony's hair. 

"What? W-wha, wait for what?" Bucky stumbled, hips canting into Tony and head lolling back. 

Tony laughed, feeling his skin grow warm at the feeling of someone who wanted him so desperately touching him the way Bucky was. His skin prickled delightfully at the clear realization that he was really _wanted._

"You made this amazing meal, we shouldn't let it go to waste," Tony panted, losing himself again in kissing Bucky's throat and collar bones.

Bucky laughed. "Fuck dinner, I have a microwave," he sighed.

Tony lost himself in laughter at that and soon, Bucky was laughing with him too, the urgency beginning to wear off. Tony rose to his feet, helping Bucky to his.

"Should we go to your bedroom this time?" Tony asked with a smirk, holding Bucky close. 

"Mmm, I could finally christen my new bed properly," Bucky purred into Tony's ear, nipping at his jaw with his teeth gently. 

By the time the two had reached Bucky's bedroom, they were both already down to their underwear, a trail of clothes following them down the hallway, panting with need and kissing frantically, hands roaming everywhere they could reach.

Bucky gripped Tony's waist tightly and pushed him back toward the bed, spinning him so that he fell forward over the edge of the mattress. He quickly gripped Tony's slim waist again, grinding his own hips into Tony's firm ass. The thin fabric from both of their underwear did very little to preserve their modesty, as Bucky pressed his own hips into Tony. Not that they wanted to preserve anything in this situation.

Bucky's thumbs slid inside the elastic at the bottom of Tony's underwear and spread his cheeks apart, wedging the thin cotton material between them. He slid his thumb over Tony's entrance, eliciting a jolt and a gasp from the older man, and then he ground his clothed cock into Tony.

Despite the fabric, Tony could feel the notched head of Bucky's cock catching on the rim of his entrance and he let out a shuddering gasp, clutching at the comforter beneath him. It had been a long time since-

"Tony, baby, please," Bucky moaned desperately, still grinding his hips into Tony's.

"Please can I have you tonight?" Bucky begged, bending forward and kissing Tony's muscular shoulders, wet and frantically.

Tony could feel the man's broad chest spread across his back and he could feel the way his young heart beat wildly in his chest, heavy breaths heaving up and down. It was intoxicating to know that he was responsible for making this man come apart at the seams. 

Bucky's hands gripped Tony's wrists firmly, pulling their arms straight over Tony's head and holding them in place while his hips delivered aborted little thrusts into Tony. 

He felt the way their skin was growing sweaty and sliding against each other, the way Bucky's pulse thundered in the veins of his wrists, held tightly against Tony's. He could hear the little whines and the thick swallows from behind him and he sighed, completely contented.

"Tony? I-is this okay?" Bucky asked breathily, barely able to hold himself together.

Tony nodded with nervous excitement and he could almost feel the Cheshire cat grin that spread across Bucky's face behind him.

"Y-you can have me, but-" he swallowed, glancing over his shoulder at Bucky's excited blue eyes. "but not like this, I want to see you when you…" he trailed off, blushing. 

"Of course! Of course, however you want it, daddy," Bucky assured, stepping back and sliding down to his knees behind Tony.

Tony froze, eyes widening. His blood felt chilled and sluggish in his veins. Peter liked to call him…

"Bucky, do me a favor?" Tony's voice hitched a little on the words.

"Mmhmm?" Bucky moaned, licking and kissing at the sensitive skin of Tony's inner thighs as his hands massaged Tony's ass roughly. 

"Please, just don't… don't call me that, okay?" Tony said softly, trying not to let himself get caught up in Peter again. 

Bucky stopped abruptly, panting and looking forward to Tony's eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Tony. I didn't know it bothered you," he said sincerely.

"Can I still…?" Bucky asked, squeezing Tony's ass to punctuate his question. Tony chuckled. 

"Yeah, just, not from behind. Not yet."

Bucky stood, running his fingertips up Tony's inner thighs teasingly as he did, then gripped Tony's hips and pulled him back up, turning him around. 

"That's fine, I'll do it however you want it, love," Bucky whispered into Tony's throat. He pushed Tony into a sitting position, then pulled him to the edge of the bed with a glint in his eyes. He slowly sank to his knees again, maintaining his eye contact with Tony as he did. He pushed Tony's knees open wide, watching his blush grow from across the bridge of his nose to the tips of his ears. 

Tony gently threaded his fingers into Bucky's long, soft hair and held firmly, nervousness dissipating with each moment.

"Just tell me if you want me to stop," Bucky said, pulling Tony's underwear from his hips slowly. He watched Tony's face carefully to be sure he wasn't crossing any boundaries. 

As soon as Tony was naked, Bucky couldn't help himself. He licked Tony's hard cock with a quick broad stripe, tasting the older man for the first time. He kissed, licked and sucked at Tony's shaft, moaning with his own excitement and pleasure, while Tony moaned and hissed above him. 

Tony's fingers twisted painfully in Bucky's hair, but a glance at the man's face, thrown back in ecstasy and eyes closed, told Bucky that it wasn't to be malicious, or even a conscious action. 

Bucky's left hand reached up and two fingers pressed against Tony's entrance, massaging firmly in circles, drawing a cry from Tony. 

"Be gentle, okay? I'm fragile," Tony gasped a laugh, loosing his grip a bit on Bucky's hair. 

"Go lay back on the bed," Bucky commanded, standing and walking quickly to the small nightstand by the bed. Tony did as he was told, scooting himself into the middle of the pillows and propping himself up. 

Bucky crawled onto the bed after Tony, quickly invading his space in the best possible way. He growled low into Tony's ear and Tony shuddered, feeling the vibrations from Bucky's chest and his stubble scratching lightly at his skin. 

He felt Bucky's fingers prodding at him again, slicked this time with lube. Tony wasn't sure when that had happened but he was glad it had. The younger man wasted no time pushing past Tony's tight ring of muscle and burying both his fingers to the first knuckle. 

Tony screeched in surprise and pain, but Bucky didn't pull back. He stayed still, allowing Tony to get used to the stretch. He pulled Tony's leg up over his shoulder, easing the burn a bit before he pressed in further. 

Before they knew it, Bucky was finger fucking Tony into the bed with three fingers. Lewd wet noises rang out into the bedroom, and Tony let out broken cries in pure bliss. 

"Are you ready?" Bucky growled, shaking and sweating with his own desire. Tony nodded frantically, almost on the edge of tears. 

Bucky quickly pulled his wet fingers from Tony with a dirty squelch and smeared the lube from his fingers all over his cock. He quickly lined his cock head up with Tony's stretched entrance, pushing in past the muscle in one fluid movement. Tony gasped and shuddered, closing his eyes. 

"I'm sorry," Bucky gave a thrust of his hips, pushing in deeper, "if this lasts," another thrust, another inch deeper, "a little too long. I didn't edge myself, I could fuck you forever," he finished, bottoming out and only half-joking. 

Tony's fingers turned to claws and gripped Bucky's hips, holding him firmly in place as he heaved air into his lungs, whimpering under his breath while he adjusted to the full feeling of Bucky inside of him. 

"God, you're fucking huge," he moaned. "Haven't done this in so long."

"I'll be gentle," Bucky assured, pulling his hips back and setting a slow but deep, hard pace. 

The two moaned loudly together, enjoying the amazing, tight hot feeling of lust, desire, and trust between them, coursing through their veins and clouding their minds. 

"I don't deserve this," Tony suddenly whispered, lost in his own mind. "I should have never hurt Peter, I don't deserve this pleasure." A tear rolled from the corner of his eye, but Bucky didn't stop, knowing how close he was getting the older man.

"You _do_ deserve this, Tony. You deserve everything. You deserve better than I can give you," he panted quietly, taking Tony's hands and lacing their fingers together. He dropped his hips and changed his angle, aiming to attack Tony's prostate straight on.

Tony cried out as soon as Bucky changed his position and drew his knees into his chest, pulling Bucky in deeper. 

Bucky drove into Tony, pounding so hard that the mattress bounced beneath them, throwing Tony up harder onto Bucky's cock, and they both cried out at the feeling.

"You're gorgeous, you're sweet, you're smart, you're sexy, _you're mine_ ," Bucky growled the last part, grasping a handful of Tony's hair and pulling his head back roughly to expose his throat.

Bucky let loose a long, guttural snarl and attached his sharp teeth to Tony's throat, jaw closing tightly around his windpipe, but not enough to break the skin. He felt Tony's hands fumble shakily into his hair, gripping the black elastic that still held it up and ripping it from his head, a few hairs snapping along with it. His hair cascaded around his shoulders and he watched the ends land gracefully on Tony's chest like feathers falling through the air, pulling a shudder from the man at the sensation. 

"Buckyyyy!" He wailed, so close he could taste it. Bucky quickly reached between them, wrapping his hand around Tony's thick cock and pumping it fast and tight. He released his grip on Tony's throat and pulled back to watch him come, wordless and soundless beneath him. His back arched up into Bucky and his eyes rolled back into his head as he spilled thick and sticky all over Bucky's hand, gripping tightly at Bucky's hair. 

"Fuck, I love you," Bucky grunted in a whisper, nearing his own release faster than he'd thought.  
He quickly grabbed Tony's hips and began using his body weight to spear him on his cock, trying to follow Tony in an orgasm before he could make him hurt with overstimulation.

"I'm close, I'm close Tone, I'm almost there," Bucky puffed, pupils blown wide in his clear blue eyes as he looked directly into Tony's almost black ones. His red lips were swollen even bigger than usual, and they were parted, slicked with saliva. He looked at Tony in such a hungry way that made the older man feel warm and desired. 

Bucky's eyebrows suddenly drew together in a way that looked almost pained and he drew in a shuddering gasp.

"Oh, Tony," Bucky whined, cock twitching and releasing inside of Tony's tight walls, painting his insides white and hot with a shudder. 

They panted and shivered, grinding against each other erratically, coming down slowly from their highs and riding out the aftershocks of their pleasure. 

"Jesus, Tony," Bucky laughed, smiling at the older man, who still looked dazed beneath him. His chocolatey eyes were wide, a shy crooked smile hanging on his lips. 

"Bucky?" Tony said with a little laugh.

"Yes, doll?" He answered, brushing a stray lock of hair from Tony's forehead.

"Y-you said… you said…" Tony couldn't seem to finish his sentence, his bashful smile growing wider by the second. Bucky's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, thinking back on what he'd said. 

Suddenly, it dawned on him what Tony probably meant and he sucked in a sharp breath, eyes growing huge and round. 

"Oh… oh shit, Tony, I-I'm so sorry, I... Fuck." He slid his softening cock from inside of Tony and sat up, sliding toward the end of the bed to give Tony room. 

"I-I, I didn't-"

"It's okay," Tony cut him off with a laugh, pulling himself into a sitting position as well. 

"It's okay, I get it, you were caught up in the moment. _Really_ caught up in the moment," Tony chuckled, glancing away with a flush.

"Not that it wasn't hot as hell, but I think I'm honestly more concerned with the growling and the biting stuff. It was just unexpected, that's all," He rambled, glancing away. 

"I guess I tend to get a little carried away and a little aggressive. Maybe only you should top from now on… until we know each other a little better. It's still no excuse for me saying that you belong to me though. I'm really sorry about that," Bucky admitted shamefully, looking down at the blanket next to him. "I _do_ get a little possessive sometimes."

"Oh, no Buck, that's not… I mean, you said… you said that you …loved me…" Tony mumbled bashfully, rubbing a bicep with his other hand. 

"What?" Bucky's face was pure horror, looking at Tony like he was afraid he'd leave right that instant. 

"You don't remember?" Tony asked, nervousness creeping onto his face.

"I-I was hoping I didn't say that out loud! I thought that was in my head!" Bucky scrambled, mortified.

"Oh no, I'm-Tony I'm so, so sorry, I-please don't… please don't leave," Bucky pleaded frantically. 

Tony laughed. "Oh, I'm definitely not leaving after _that_ ," Tony replied shyly. "It might be a little too soon but… I'd rather you said _that_ than some sort of… something not so nice."

Bucky looked away, rolling Tony's words around in his head for a moment. 

"Tony… you _do_ deserve happiness," Bucky finally stated in a quiet voice. "You don't have to feel guilty for making the choice to be happy. Everyone deserves happiness."

Tony's gaze quickly moved to anything but Bucky's face, clearing his throat quietly. Finally, he spoke up again.

"Hey Buck? Can we take a shower?" His voice was quiet as he spoke, hoping to successfully shift the conversation away from himself.

Bucky was silent for a moment while he considered whether or not to press his point home, but he decided to let it go for now. 

"Of course, sugar. Let's go get cleaned up."

****************************

Before long, the two were in the shower under the hot water together in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Bucky was the first to break the silence.

"Pass me the shampoo, doll?" He asked, pointing to where it sat on a shelf behind Tony.

"Sure," Tony answered, itching to ask…

"Do you mind if I... maybe do that?" He asked shyly, handing over the bottle. The corners of Bucky's lips curled up into a little grin.

"I'd love that," he winked, handing the bottle back and turning to let Tony wash his long tresses. 

Tony smiled and squirted a bit of the shampoo onto his palm, smelling the sandalwood and jasmine scent wafting from it. He eagerly but gently began to massage it through Bucky's hair and into his scalp, running his fingers down the lengths gently. 

"Can I ask why you like it so much?" Bucky spoke up, enjoying the special attention.

"Your hair?" Tony asked to clarify.

"Yeah, you really seem to like having your fingers in there," Bucky responded. "Not that I'm complaining. I know you said that you like the way I wear my hair long but… why?"

Tony blushed and was glad that Bucky couldn't see the embarrassed look on his face.

"I just like it. It's soft and beautiful and shiny, and it's so different from… what I'm used to, I suppose," he admitted. He didn't bother to add how it reminded him somewhere deep down in his memories of the covers of the romance novels his mother used to read. The kind with the dainty women and the big muscular men with long flowing hair; the epitome of sex appeal. He didn't mention the way the smell of it and the way it felt softly caressing against his skin intoxicated him almost more than any drug he'd ever taken. "Does it bother you?"

"Not at all. I love the way it makes my skin tingle when you touch it."

Tony couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face at the admission. He could practically hear Bucky purring like a kitten. They finished their shower, helping each other wash and stealing kisses and touches as they did, and finally got out and dried off. 

Bucky lent Tony some comfortable clothes to wear since he'd been wearing the same thing since he'd gotten there, and Bucky threw his dirty clothes in the wash. 

True to his word, Bucky heated both of their nearly forgotten dinners in his microwave, both of them beginning to grow hungry again. They sat at the table, comfortably eating and drinking the rest of the bottle of wine that Bucky had pulled from the fridge. Once they were finished, Bucky collected their plates and deposited them into the sink. 

"You wanna maybe head outside? I usually light a little bonfire and hang out at night," Bucky suggested.

Tony smiled at the thought of another moonlit night, hopefully with a bit of a better ending, and nodded his head. Bucky took Tony's hand with a smile and lead him through the sliding glass door. He walked to the large hanging chair and helped Tony into it, then turned and walked a few feet away to a fire pit that Tony hadn't seen before. 

Tony couldn't help but wonder what kinds of things he hadn't noticed must be all over the house, and he was excited to find them and discover what kind of person Bucky really was.

Once Bucky had gotten a fire lit, he joined Tony on the chair, wrapping his arms tightly around him and kissing his neck and shoulders. They stay wrapped together until they both fell asleep, cuddling under the lightweight blanket that resided on the chair. 

*******************************

 

They both woke in the early morning, bright sunshine beginning to peek over the horizon and birds singing happily all around them. 

Bucky ran his fingers gently over Tony's chin, lightly scratching at the stubble there and sighed happily.

"G' morning, Tone," he mumbled in his low, gravelly morning voice, drowsy still.

"Morning, Buck."

"You want some breakfast, honey? I'll cook. I have to go to work today, unfortunately," Bucky said, yawning and stretching. 

Tony felt a shock of panic run through his chest at those words. If Bucky left, he'd be alone. And he needed to get himself into gear with the Peter situation. He still had to go see the young man and discuss what was going to happen with the house and everything in it. Bucky leaving meant that real life was creeping its way back in, and Tony wasn't sure if he was ready for it yet. 

"You okay, sweets?" Bucky asked, taking in Tony's pale appearance as he brushed a stray strand of hair from Tony's forehead. Tony swallowed and nodded his head, trying to slow down his heartbeat where it thundered in his ears. 

Bucky sat up and helped Tony up too, stretching again and standing onto the deck. He'd lost his shirt at some point in the night and Tony couldn't stop himself from raking his eyes up and down Bucky's muscular back and ass. He wasn't ready for the younger man to leave yet and he was beginning to panic.

Bucky padded into the house, leaving the sliding door open behind him and Tony slowly rose to follow him. When he stepped through the threshold, he watched Bucky disappearing down the hallway toward the bedroom.

"What do you want for breakfast, love?" Bucky called down the hallway. Tony's stomach was churning with anxiety and fear. He couldn't possibly think about eating. He wasn't even sure if he'd be able to manage a cup of coffee.

Before he could think of something to respond with, Bucky was back, wearing a pair of jeans and pulling a faded black t-shirt over his head. He gathered his sleep messy hair into a sloppy bun and wrapped an elastic from his wrist around it loosely. 

Hungry, doll?" He asked again, reaching into a cupboard and grabbing out two coffee mugs. 

"Uhh, n-no, not really," Tony stammered, fidgeting with an invisible spot on the counter beside Bucky.

"Hmm. Well, you're welcome to absolutely everything while I'm gone. I want you to feel at home," Bucky stated with a smile, popping a cartridge into his single-serving coffee machine and hitting a few buttons on the top, starting the coffee brewing. 

"I-I have to go see Peter today," Tony admitted.

Bucky faltered and turned wide eyes to Tony, wearing his own look of unease for just a moment, before schooling his expression back to neutral and finishing their coffee. 

"Oh," he said quietly, reaching for the sugar. "Are you… going to come back?" He asked, not meeting Tony's eyes. 

"If… if I'm aloud," Tony responded hopefully and honestly. Bucky's lips quirked up into what was probably supposed to be a smile but looked more like a grimace. 

"Of course. I want you here," he answered earnestly, handing a mug to Tony. Tony felt reassurance wash over him and he let out a small breath. 

"I don't want to leave but… I really _have_ to. I have… business to deal with," Tony said quietly, taking a small step toward Bucky. "I should just get it over with."

Bucky nodded and absently sipped at his coffee, looking like he was thinking about something. Finally, he turned and looked Tony in the eye, setting his own coffee down and reaching for Tony's to set it down as well.

Tony looked confused until Bucky quickly stepped forward into the older man's space, wrapping his arms around Tony's shoulders and gripping a handful of hair at the back of Tony's head firmly. He closed the distance between them and kissed Tony passionately, taking his time to explore every ridge of Tony's mouth with his tongue before pulling back.

He looked unsure and insecure, and Tony had never seen him look anything but confident. It was almost unnerving.

"Just…" Bucky began, fiddling with the seam on the shirt around Tony's neck. "I know I don't really know you and you can, you know, do whatever you want, really… I just-please don't... don't sleep with him?" His eyes finally flicked up to meet Tony's and his worry was laid bare in the clear blue irises. "Please?"

Tony was floored. This gorgeous, amazing, sexy confident, successful stranger was worried about losing _him._

"I-I don't mean to seem controlling, I promise I'm not trying to tell you what to do, it's just… I don't want you to get stuck with him again. I… honestly don't want to lose you. And I know people like Peter. They'll do anything they can to get you to come back. Even if you don't want _me_ , I can't bear the thought of you being with someone so abusive." Bucky finally finished his thought, trying to turn away from Tony.

Tony gripped Bucky's waist and held him firm, pulling him back in close. He leaned forward until his lips almost touched Bucky's and whispered, "how did I get so lucky?", before kissing Bucky just as eagerly as Bucky had kissed him. 

They stood together for a moment, feeling each other's hearts beating and listening to the sound of their breathing before Bucky finally stepped backward.

"I'm sorry. I told you I can get a little possessive," he chuckled. "I promise I don't want to control you, though."

"It's okay, Buck, I get it. I'm honestly really glad that you care about me so much. I'll text you when I get there and when I get back, okay?" Tony promised, leaning forward to kiss Bucky's forehead.

Bucky smiled and nodded, reaching to grab Tony's coffee and hand it back to him. 

"Thanks, babe," Bucky smiled gratefully, leaning forward to peck Tony on his cheek. He turned and walked to a cupboard next to the fridge, pulling down a white bowl. 

"You sure you're not hungry?" He asked, reaching for a box of cereal.

"Yeah, I'm nervous about seeing Peter today. I don't really want to, my stomach is in knots"

"I'm sorry, babe," Bucky sympathized, pouring some milk into his bowl. "I'd go with you if I could. I haven't been in the kitchen in a few days though, they're going to need me. Inventory needs done, too, and I have to send the order in," Bucky added, getting lost in his thoughts as he straddled a chair in the dining room. He took a bite of his cereal and brushed a strand of loose hair out of his face absently as he chewed.

Tony felt some of his anxiety drain from his veins as he watched Bucky continue trying to brush the strand from his face in annoyance while he zoned out staring at the floor in front of him. A smile spread across his face.

"You always do your hair like that or just when you're in a rush?" He joked. "It's crooked."

Bucky's attention jumped back to Tony's face, cheeks protruding with cereal and eyes wide as he realized he'd been caught daydreaming. His cheeks flushed as he broke into a smile.

"Wha'you mean?" He mumbled, quickly chewing and swallowing his mouthful.

"Your hair's… kind of a mess," Tony laughed, heading toward the hallway. He rummaged in a few drawers in the bathroom until he found a comb and headed back to the table. 

"Do you mind if I try?" Tony asked, holding up the comb.

Bucky grinned and nodded, sticking another bite into his mouth. 

"M' not real good at it. It's just quick and easy," he admitted, straightening up and letting Tony do as he liked.

Tony stuck the handle of the comb between his teeth, trying to work the ponytail holder loose with as minimal casualties as possible. He quickly shook the hair out and began combing from the ends and working his way up the strands, working gently but quickly. He could smell the scent of Bucky's sandalwood shampoo and campfire smoke wafting from the soft tresses and decided it was his new favorite scent. 

He used the pointed end of the comb to begin sectioning the hair and quickly wove it together tightly. He braided the hair down Bucky's back, as close to the ends as he could and then twisted the hair tie back into place on the end, finishing astonishingly fast.

"There, that should stay out of your way most of the day while you're working," Tony said, giving the baby hairs at the back of Bucky's neck a little brush with his fingertips and dragging a shudder from the younger man's spine.

Bucky reached back and gently touched his hair, feeling what Tony had done. It was pulled back much tighter and more securely than what he could typically do on himself. 

"Is that a braid? It feels fancier," He asked, turning curious eyes over his shoulder.

"French braid. Mom taught me all kinds of things that she knew would make my dad mad," he chuckled. 

"Thank you so much," Bucky said earnestly, standing carefully from his chair and heading toward a reflective piece of art that hung on the wall to see it for himself. 

"It looks really great, everyone's going to be asking who did it when I get to work," he let out a genuinely happy laugh and Tony felt his toes tingle. 

"I gotta brush my teeth babe, and then I gotta get outta here," Bucky stated, heading back down the hall again. Tony picked up his coffee cup and sipped at it, waiting for Bucky to return. He saw his car keys sitting in a clay dish at the end of the counter and grabbed them, sticking them into the pockets of his borrowed pants. He'd have to remember to grab some clothes of his own and bring them back.

"Here, baby," Tony jumped at the unexpected sound of Bucky's voice behind him and turned. Bucky held out a little silver key to Tony, who took it tentatively.

"What's this for?" Tony asked.

"The front door, I want you to be able to get in when I'm not home," Bucky stated matter-of-factly. 

"But-"

"No, take it. You need to be able to get in," Bucky insisted, closing Tony's hand around the key. He leaned forward and kissed Tony's cheek, before reaching to grab his own keys from the little clay bowl on the counter.

"Sorry I have to rush honey, but I got a restaurant to run," he laughed. "I'll see you later, baby. Call or text me if you need me. Good luck, too," he called, rushing out the front door and leaving Tony in silence. 

Tony glanced around, realizing he was in Bucky's home alone, with a key pressed into his palm, and it all felt so… domestic. Pleasant. Comforting. Right. 

He felt a rush of warmth spread through him and he sighed. He considered getting his own clothes from the dryer where he knew they were ready, but a small part of him felt like going to see Peter while wearing Bucky's clothes would feel… a bit like a payback he didn't know he wanted. He quickly looped his shiny new key onto his key ring and finished his coffee, steeling himself for the rest of his day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading! I'll be working on the next chapter for a bit amd updating as soon as possible!  
> Leave me a comment if you liked this chapter! 💙💛💚💜♥️


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony bites the bullet and goes to visit Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

Tony sat in his car fiddling with his keys and trying to muster up the courage to go back into his own house. Rightfully, it was his, he bought it, paid for it, his name was on the deed.

It just didn't _feel_ like his anymore. Now, it was just the house where he'd been with Peter. It was where he'd slept with and showered with and fucked and made breakfast for Peter. It was where Peter was now, doing who knew what with who knew who. 

Tony was nervous about every single aspect of the encounter he was about to go through. He almost wished he could call Bucky and have him in his ear for support. 

Maybe he should have waited, maybe he should have come on a day when Bucky _could_ be there with him. Would that have caused more problems? Maybe, but he would have felt so much more strong, so much less defenseless. 

Tony chided himself for being so afraid of Peter. He'd never been afraid of anything before the young man. Now, an unexpected sound could make him jump out of his skin, reminding him that he could be just an arms length away from a slap across the face or a punch to the gut. 

He glanced at himself in his rearview mirror and noted that the deep bruise surrounding his eye was faded, still purple in some places, but mostly the sickly green and yellow of healing. He found himself feeling annoyed that it was still there, a discernable reminder of being abused by someone he'd pledged his love to. 

He sighed in annoyance at his own reluctance and opened his car door, stepping out and forcing himself toward the door of the house. It was blue because Peter had begged and demanded that Tony have it painted. He'd said that a blue door lead to happiness walking over the threshold. Tony couldn't help but wonder how long after that did the sweet boys' heart start turning sour and ashen. 

He took a deep breath and steeled his nerves, placing his hand on the knob and gently testing it. 

Unlocked. Peter never locked the door behind him. Tony had found it endearing once. Now, he couldn't help but worry slightly at the boys' safety, alone in a house that he constantly forgot to lock behind him. 

He gingerly stepped through the doorway and looked around. All of the curtains were drawn and no lights were on. Everything was dim and hazy. The air was thick with old incense smoke and crumpled tissues were tossed haphazardly all over the floor, the couch and the coffee table. 

Tony could see that Peter had moved his pillow and blanket from the bed they'd once shared onto the couch, where he'd clearly been spending most of his time. 

"Pete?" Tony called tentatively, giving his keys a jingle in his pocket as he did so, reminding himself that he could still always leave. 

When he received no response, he took a few more steps inside the house. It didn't look like Peter had been eating very much. At least, if he was, he wasn't cooking. There were practically no dishes in the sink and no dirty pots or pans. Peter never was a very good cook. 

"Petey?" Tony called slightly louder, thinking of heading toward the bedroom if he didn't hear a response. He stuck his other hand in his pocket, giving his phone a squeeze, reassuring himself that Bucky was only a call away. 

"Daddy?" He heard a tiny voice call back. It hit him right in his heartstrings. That sweet little soft voice, so innocent-sounding. 

Peter emerged from the dark bedroom, looking disheveled and pale. 

"Daddy, is that you? Are you home?" He asked hopefully, corners of his mouth twitching up into a tiny smile. He took a few steps toward Tony and looked up at him with dull but hopeful eyes. 

He was wearing a ragged pair of sweatpants, Tony's, and a robe tied around his chest sloppily as if he'd thrown it on in haste. 

He crossed the room to where Tony stood and smiled shakily like he were afraid to make a daydream disappear.

"You're home, daddy!" He whispered.

Tony could see that his curls were greasy and matted to his head, his eyes were rimmed with red and swollen from crying, and he looked gaunt. 

Tony cleared his throat nervously and looked away.

"I'm just here to get a few things," he stated. Peter's face immediately fell back to one of sadness, and for just a brief second, Tony thought he saw anger flash in his eyes. 

"You're still with that sl-"

"Don't," Tony interrupted, feeling his own anger and protectiveness swelling in his chest at the thought of someone calling Bucky an insult. 

"Don't call him that. His name is Bucky," he quickly added, softer, not wanting to start any fights. He fidgeted for just a moment more before finally stepping away from where Peter stood, toward a window. He pulled the thick curtain back, allowing the bright, early morning sunlight to stream in through the thick air. 

"Have you been taking care of yourself?" Tony asked absently, not turning to look at Peter yet. He heard the slighter man padding toward the couch and then the sound of him flopping down on it. A second later, he heard the sound of a lighter flicking and he turned to look over his shoulder. 

Peter was lighting a cigarette, taking a deep drag and letting it loose in a big cloud of smoke.

"I'm alive," he chuckled mirthlessly. 

Tony furrowed his eyebrows and walked over to where Peter sat, yanking the cigarette from his fingers and stubbing it out in an ashtray that sat on the table.

"The hell are you smoking for?" He demanded, just short of being angry. 

"The fuck do you care?" Peter demanded, pulling another one from a metal cigarette container and lighting it. 

"Peter, don't fucking smoke," he growled, reaching to grab the newly lit cigarette from between Peter's lips. 

Peter slapped his hand away angrily. 

"You don't get a say in what I do," Peter growled back, standing and heading toward the kitchen. He pulled open the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of something that was clearly fruity and alcoholic, twisting it open and taking a swig. 

Tony sighed. He was right, it wasn't really his business. 

"So, did you come here to gloat about how great your new boyfriend is and tell me I need to get my shit and leave your house? Because you're clearly not here to fuck and make up," Peter demanded harshly. Tony had never really heard Peter talk this way and was taken aback. 

Peter's eyes lit up and he quickly dropped the cigarette into the sink, running water over it before prowling over to where Tony stood, blinking his thick eyelashes. 

" _Did_ you come here to fuck and make up, daddy?" He asked in a sickly sweet voice, pawing at Tony's shirt. Tony saw Peter scowl slightly at the t-shirt he wore, no doubt recognizing it as someone else's now that he was paying attention. 

Tony took a step back, trying to pry Peter's hands from his shirt as he did. 

"Peter, I'm not here for that, I just-"

Peter cut him off, rubbing up against Tony's front, sliding a hand down to cup Tony through his borrowed jeans. "C'mon, daddy, just for old times sake? I know just the way you like it, I could make you feel so good," Peter purred, bending his legs and beginning to drop to his knees.

"No, Pete!" Tony yelped, trying to back away. Tony had forgotten how deceptively strong Peter was.

"I'm not here to fuck you, please let go of me!" Tony cried, beginning to feel anxiety making his head swim. He should have waited, he should have brought Bucky, he shouldn't have come alone, he should-

"C'mon daddy, let me take care of you! You can just let me do all the work!" Peter pressed, ripping open the buttons on Tony's jeans and yanking down the zipper.

Tony felt like he was being trapped in a corner and froze in panic for just a moment, before closing his eyes and thinking about Bucky. He drew in a deep breath and allowed himself to get angry. 

"PETER!" He shouted, in a voice that neither of them had ever heard before. Peter jumped back and landed on his ass, eyes wide in shock and surprise.

"I don't want you that way anymore!" He continued to shout. "You had your chance! I found someone that treats me like a person! He looks at me like the sun rises _because of_ me! _You?_ " He emphasized with a pointed finger, "you gave me _this!_ " He pointed at his clearly bruised eye. "I deserve better!" He spat, realizing that Bucky's words were flowing from his mouth. 

He quickly stepped over Peter and headed toward the bedroom. 

"I'm here to get a few things to take to his house, and to tell you that I don't want this place, not anymore!" He shouted over his shoulder. 

He rushed to the closet and grabbed an empty duffel bag, scooping in handfuls of pants and shirts, underwear and two belts. He quickly headed for the bathroom, rushing to grab his toothbrush, deodorant and shaving kit, hurrying as quickly as he could. He might sound angry, and truthfully, he _was_ a little angry, but mostly he was still nervous to be there in Peter's reach. He just wanted to get out. 

He decided to come back, sometime when Peter wasn't home maybe, and get the rest of his things later. Zipping up his bag, he quickly left from the bathroom through to the bedroom.

"Daddy," Peter's small voice said, startling Tony with its proximity. The last thing he wanted was to get caught in the bedroom with him. Cold sweat broke out on Tony's forehead.

"Peter, please stop calling me that. I'm not that person anymore," Tony responded, trying to sidestep toward the door. 

Peter's face fell, but he nodded his agreement.

"Da-Tony, wait, please," he whispered. Tony's heart thumped harder in his chest. He didn't want to be in this situation but he couldn't bring himself to just walk out. He _had_ loved Peter. He'd loved him with all his heart. Leaving was never going to be easy. 

"Yes, Peter?" He answered, not meeting Peter's eyes, but keeping his gaze firmly on the door. Peter sat on the edge of the disheveled bed and patted the spot next to him.

"Will you sit with me? I just want to talk," he assured. Tony swallowed thickly, nervousness making him fidget again. 

"I-I don't want to talk in here," he stated, still not looking at Peter.

"O-oh, ok, of course," he sprang up from the bed. "Let's go sit on the couch? Please?" He suggested. Tony nodded and quickly stepped out of the bedroom, Peter following close behind.

Tony sat on the farthest end of the couch away from the bedroom, closest to the door and looked around nervously. He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at it. He'd been there for nearly an hour already. He wondered what Bucky was doing right then. 

"You still have us as your background," Peter purred into Tony's ear from over the couch, hands sliding to grip and massage at Tony's shoulders. 

Tony froze, regretting not asking Bucky for a picture yet, and quickly clicked his phone screen off. 

"Peter, you said you wanted to _talk_ ," Tony pressed, trying to brush Peter's hands from his shoulders. 

"I do! I do, I want to talk," Peter agreed, sliding his hands down from Tony's shoulders, across his chest.

"Pete-"

"I love you, Tony," Peter said quietly into Tony's ear. Tony's heart raced in his chest and he didn't respond.

"Don't you love me, Tony?" The younger man continued. "Didn't you _ever_ love me?"

A flash of guilt ran down to Tony's gut, coiling and growing. He could feel himself beginning to shake, anxiety growing by the second. 

Suddenly, Peter's hands disappeared and he came around the side of the couch, quickly planting himself in Tony's lap.

He was so light, even lighter than usual, and it didn't help Tony's guilt. Peter curled up comfortably and rested his head under Tony's chin. 

" _Did_ you ever love me, Tony?" He asked again. 

"Pete, you know that I loved you, I gave you everything you ever asked for. I did everything for you," Tony responded, suddenly growing annoyed.

"You know this didn't happen because of me," Tony pressed on. "Did you forget about Steve? Because I didn't."

Peter was quiet at that, knowing Tony was right. He wrapped his arms around Tony's shoulders, sighing and holding him tightly. Tony's hands tentatively reached up and lightly rested on Peter's back and knees, holding him in return. 

It was so familiar, and yet now so different. Peter was nothing like Bucky. He was so slight and petite, all lean muscle. Tony could smell the sweat and stale cigarette smoke in Peter's hair. 

"Pete, why did you change? Why did you start hurting me?" Tony asked in a small voice. He felt Peter cringe and duck his head, but he was silent for a moment longer.

"I don't know, Daddy. I don't know why I did that to you," he responded honestly. "I was so in love with you. I really was. I still am," he lifted his head to look at Tony, but Tony looked away. 

"I still love you, Tony. Can't you forgive me? Can't you take me back? Come back home and forget about that scraggly thing you're with?" His soft hands reached up to cup Tony's face, leaning in close. 

Tony finally turned his gaze to Peter's, meeting his soft brown eyes. He looked so sincere. So much like the man Tony had fallen in love with. 

Tony sighed. His chest ached, remembering how happy they'd been together. They were always kissing and caught in an embrace. They could hardly be torn apart from each other. Tony had loved kissing Peter, too. His lips were always so soft and usually tasted like strawberry chapstick. He'd probably miss kissing Peter most of all. And when they made love…

"Tony?" Peter's voice brought him back from his thoughts. Tony ran his hands lovingly up and down Peter's spine a few times before resting at the back of his neck and pulling him in closer. 

Peter's lips quirked up into a smile before he eagerly leaned forward and pressed his lips against Tony's. He gripped Tony's shirt and held him firmly, coaxing Tony's mouth open to explore it with his tongue.

Peter tasted like cigarettes, cheap beer and… strawberry chapstick. Tony sighed into the kiss and his hand slowly began to slide up into Peter's hair. 

Peter felt… wrong, but… still so good. His little frame sitting in his lap felt so much like being home. Familiar.

Peter lightly bit at Tony's lip, beginning to press his ass against Tony in an effort to win the older man back completely. 

The hand that rested on Peter's knees began to travel slowly up, toward where Peter was growing hard. Tony hesitated, feeling like he was making a mistake. 

He was. Bucky's clear blue eyes flashed into Tony's mind, and the way they'd looked so nervous when he'd said he was going to see Peter.

Tony's eyes flashed opened and he quickly pulled his hands from Peter, pushing him away by his shoulders. 

"Peter, stop. This isn't going to happen, this is done," he said, lifting Peter and depositing him onto the couch as he stood. 

"But Daddy!" Peter whined, rising to his feet to go after the older man.

"Peter, you _have_ to stop calling me that-"

They were both cut off when Tony's phone began to ring loudly. He quickly looked to see who was calling and relief flooded through him when he saw Bucky's name on his caller ID. 

"Hello?!" He answered, trying to keep the frantic tone out of his voice. 

"Hey, handsome!" Bucky's voice sang happily through the receiver. Tony didn't miss the scowl on Peter's face and he turned the volume up just to make sure that Peter could hear him. 

"Sorry to call in the middle of your day but I wanted to make sure you're okay. You never texted me," he said, voice still sounding pleasant.

"Oh, honey, I'm really sorry, I forgot! There was just a lot of stuff going on. I actually just finished getting a bag together and I was going to head out in a minute," Tony responded, sending Peter a pointed look as he said the last part. 

"Oh, that's great babe! Sounds like things are going pretty well. Hey, if you want, you could stop by the diner and we can have lunch! I'm taking my break soon," Bucky offered. 

Tony smiled. "Sounds great Buck, I'll see you soon." He clicked his phone off and slid it into his pocket, looking over at Peter.

The younger man looked... Frustrated, angry and hurt. 

"Babe? _Honey?_ You guys barely know each other," Peter scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "And, he works at a diner? What is he, a dishwasher?" He snarked. 

"Yeah, I should get going, Peter. But, I have a proposition for you," Tony stated, reaching to pick up his duffel bag from the floor. 

Peter didn't respond, but looked intrigued.

"I want to pay for you to go to therapy," Tony stated, seeing Peter gearing up to protest.

"Pete, I want you to talk to someone. I want to see you find peace. I think you deserve to be happy too."

The anger faded from Peter's face and exposed his raw sadness. He looked ready to collapse. Tony took a few tentative steps toward him.

"I mean it, Peter. I want to see you happy. I want you to go to some sessions, and maybe call Steve," Tony finished, noting the shocked look on Peter's face. 

"Steve?" Peter repeated quietly.

"Yeah, you know the one," Tony said, pushing down his distaste at the idea, knowing that he didn't have anything to be jealous about anymore. "He seemed like a good guy. He at least had the decency not to sleep with you while you were still with me. You start going to therapy and go on a few dates and you can keep the house and everything in it. It's already paid off, anyways."

Peter swallowed and tears began shining in his eyes. Tony stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Peter's shoulders, squeezing him in a hug and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Think you can do that for me?" Tony asked quietly. He felt Peter shake his head in agreement and he let go.

"Good," he smiled, throwing a wink at Peter. "You need to take care of yourself. Take a shower. Eat something real. Drink a little less," he glanced down at the coffee table where Peter's fancy cigarette case sat next to an ashtray. "And stop smoking. You're better than that."

Peter chuckled a watery laugh and nodded. 

"Alright," he agreed. Tony smiled and headed for the door. 

"Tony?" Peter called just before Tony could leave. 

"I really am sorry for everything I put you through."

Tony nodded and quietly closed the door behind him. 

****************

Tony parked his car on the street just a building away from the diner and got out, locking the door behind him. He walked quickly, spurred on with excitement and a newfound feeling of freedom, and entered the diner. It was pretty busy, the lunchtime rush in full swing, but it seemed to be slowing down to a lull. Bucky would probably be able to leave the kitchen for a bit.

He headed for a table near the back and decided he'd text Bucky to let him know that he'd arrived, but before he could reach the last table, Bucky came out of the kitchen through a swinging door with a broad smile on his face. He must have seen Tony enter the building.

"Hey! I can't begin to tell you how glad I am to see you," he said honestly, closing the small distance between them.

Tony grinned, happier to see him than he had been in a long time. He gripped Bucky's hips and pulled him in tightly, pressing his lips to Bucky's and kissing him with more passion than he thought possible, pulling him up onto his toes and swaying a little.

When he finally let go, Bucky had a crooked, dazed grin on his face.

"Wow," Bucky breathed, chuckling quietly. He looked like he was spinning, so Tony held him for an extra moment.

"I missed you, too," Tony whispered, pecking Bucky's lips again before guiding him into one of the benches at the table. 

"So I take it that everything went well?" Bucky asked as Tony sat down opposite him.

"It went beautifully," Tony grinned, noting that Bucky's hair had stayed in place well so far. "That's a nice braid in your hair, someone great must have done it," Tony winked.

Bucky chuckled and smiled at Tony, noticing the way his eyes lit up with his smile. He sat taller like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders and his smile was bigger, brighter. 

"Yeah, this amazing guy I met did it for me," Bucky responded with a smile.

A waitress walked over just then with a notepad and a pencil.

"Hey boss-man, you taking your break?" She asked. 

"Yeah, I'll be back before the rush is over," he assured with a nod.

"Take your time, hon. You clearly have a close friend to visit with," she smiled in a teasing manner at him. Bucky's cheeks went pink and he glanced down at the table. 

"Some hello, by the way," she turned her attention to Tony with a sly grin. Tony let out a loud laugh and felt his own cheeks growing hot. She looked back at Bucky.

"It's about time. What are you boys drinking?" She tapped her notepad with her pencil.

"Just a water for me," Bucky answered. Tony nodded and requested one as well.

"Alright, I'll be right back with those and to take your orders," she said, handing Tony a menu. 

Bucky smiled a shy smile and looked up at Tony.

"She's been trying to get me to spill the beans about who I've been seeing all morning," he admitted. "I'm never going to hear the end of it now, she's probably telling everyone in the kitchen that you're here," he laughed. 

Tony smiled and just watched Bucky, feeling his pupils growing bigger as he did. He took in the way the younger man couldn't keep the smile off his face, and it felt like someone had lit a furnace inside of Tony's chest, warm and comforting.

"I hope you're having a good day too," Tony finally said, taking a deep, cleansing breath.

"Oh, for sure! They're training one of my shift managers to do the inventory and learn the re-order form, so I didn't have as much to do myself when I came in this morning. Left me with a lot more time to help with the prep, and overall morale is better." He answered with a nod. 

"But, uh, how'd everything go with-with," he shifted in his seat, looking slightly uncomfortable again. "Uh, Pete?" He finally finished. 

"Honestly, I was prepared for so much worse," Tony admitted, flipping the menu open to scan it. 

Bucky nodded, then after a moment, asked, "did he... You know, try anything?" He still looked uncomfortable, glancing up at Tony through his long eyelashes. 

"Yeah, he did. A couple times," Tony answered honestly, noting the way that Bucky's face fell and his gaze didn't meet his own anymore. 

"We didn't do anything," Tony clarified. "I told him he should see a counselor and he agreed."

Bucky's lips twitched into a half-smile.

"So you didn't, like… y'know…" he trailed off, hoping he got his point across. 

"Nah, I didn't want to. I don't have any interest in that with him. Besides, I made this super hot guy a promise this morning that I wouldn't," Tony winked, reaching across the table and offering his hand. 

Bucky gratefully accepted Tony's offer of comfort and took his hand, gripping it tightly. 

"Thank you, Tony," he said sincerely.

The waitress came back with two glasses of ice water and set them on the table.

"Ready, boys?" She asked, poised to write. 

"Uh, just a tuna melt for me," Bucky responded.

"That sounds good, make it two?" Tony added politely, handing the menu back to her.

"No problem honey, I'll go get that into the kitchen. See you in a bit," she said, turning to walk away. 

The two sat together chatting for a while until the waitress brought their lunches. Tony noticed that her nametag read Marina and made sure to refer to her by name for the rest of the afternoon, much to Bucky's pleasure. When they were finished, Tony offered to pay and Bucky scoffed. 

"As if I'm going to let you pay for lunch in my own restaurant," he rolled his eyes. 

"Fine I guess, but I'm taking you to dinner sometime. Anywhere you want to go, just name it," he said as they both stood. 

"I'll walk you out," Bucky said, taking Tony's hand and leading him toward the door. Tony glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen and saw multiple faces peeking out, smiling and whispering as they watched them leaving. 

"Don't look now, but you have an audience," Tony laughed. Bucky glanced over his shoulder.

"Work, please!" He yelled, not giving them a second glance. He walked with Tony to his car and stood on the sidewalk with the older man. 

"So, I gotta be here for a few more hours, but I'll see you at home right?" He asked tentatively.

"I'll be at your house if that's okay, I don't have anything planned for the rest of the day," Tony answered. Bucky smiled and leaned in close to Tony, tugging at the waistband of his own jeans on the older man's body and pulling him close. 

"That's what I said," he whispered, leaning in close to Tony, stopping just millimeters from his lips. "I'll see you at _home._ " 

Tony smiled and kissed Bucky, thoroughly enjoying the man's soft, plump lips against his own. 

"I'll be home."

Bucky's smile grew wide and he nodded. 

"I'll see you later," he said, leaning in to kiss Tony's cheek. As he turned away, Tony quickly pulled his phone from his pocket, swiping open his camera. 

"Hey honey?" Tony called, stopping Bucky before he could get too far away. 

Bucky turned and looked at Tony over his shoulder, bright blue eyes reflecting the sunlight.  
His hair fell gracefully over his shoulder. 

"Say cheese, babe," he winked, snapping a quick photo. The shutter clicked just as Bucky laughed and Tony smiled at the image he'd caught. It would make a perfect new background on his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the responses on the last chapter! I apologize if I wasn't able to get back to you yet, I was busy writing this one. 😜
> 
> So what did you think? Was it what you expected? Did you like the direction it took? Are you big mad about it? Do tell!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky has some secrets of his own. Tony might find out the hard way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone that's read so far! I hope you're still enjoying! Sorry this is such a short chapter!

Tony drove back to Bucky's house and decided to call a psychiatrist aquaintace of his right away. He scheduled appointments for Peter paid in full, true to his word, deciding he'd inform Peter later. Once he was done, he sighed and tried to decide what to do with himself. 

Truthfully, the whole ordeal had been pretty exhausting, both mentally and physically. His nerves were shot, but he still felt so much lighter. He decided to take a hot shower and get dressed in some of his own clothes.

Once he had, he made himself a cup of coffee and began to wander around Bucky's home, taking in all the paintings and photos and knick knacks that were decorating the walls and shelves. 

Bucky didn't seem to have many photos of himself unless they were with other people, although truthfully, Tony was pretty sure most people wouldn't. He did happen to spot one that was practically buried on a desk in what must be Bucky's office, that showed him as a much younger man with much shorter hair and no beard. He was crouched down smiling with a brown dog that looked like it was smiling too. Tony hadn't noticed the little dimple in his chin under all his scruff, and he smiled. 

The man really did have such a sweet face, Tony couldn't help but smile looking at it. He made a mental note to get a frame for that particular photo, and placed it back on the desk. 

He wasn't sure how many more hours he would have to wait for Bucky to finish work and come home, but he knew he'd probably still have a few more hours to go. It had only been an hour and a half since he'd left Bucky at the diner.

Tony sighed again and looked around. There wasn't a whole lot of snooping he wanted to do and he didn't know what would be crossing a boundary, so he decided to put his mind to finding a book to read. He was interested to see what the younger man would have anyways.

He decided to check the bedroom first, finding none on the nightstand, or any bookshelves to speak of. Like most of the walls in the house, the ones in the bedroom were sparsly decorated. 

Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to take a quick, harmless peek in the drawer of the nightstand. Inside were a few small notes and pieces of paper, a tube of chapstick, a little bottle of lube, a few loose pieces of candy and a couple _very_ well loved issues of Rolling Stone with Johnny Depp on the cover. Tony chuckled to himself and continued looking. 

He walked back through the hallway to the other side of the house and scanned the living room for anything that wasn't a magazine or stray comic. He continued on to the office again, surveying the desk more closely, then moving on to look around the room. It didn't contain very much. There was a radio on the desk, a small trash can and a tall lamp in the corner. There were a few certificates from his restaurant hanging in frames and a vintage looking photo of a couple in sepia. The woman had dark hair and light eyes like Bucky, and the man had the same dimple on his chin. They _had_ to be his parents.

Tony decided to check out the closet really fast just in case he might find some books stashed there. 

"Bingo," he smiled to himself, finding a couple short stacks on the top shelf. He quickly pulled them down and headed to the living room with them to make his selection. 

*************

Tony woke up to a hand gently removing the open book from his hand. He started awake and noticed that the sky had grown nearly dark outside. He wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep, but he'd gotten about twenty pages into The Odyssey. 

"Hey, babe," Bucky said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Tony sat up from where he'd fallen asleep on the couch and yawned. 

"Sorry, bright eyes, I didn't mean to fall asleep," he responded. Bucky was already kneeling down and dropped to his knees, sliding himself between Tony's legs and slipping his hands around the older man's waist. He leaned up and kissed Tony with the same eager tenderness that Tony had kissed him with at the diner, with less of the urgency.

"Don't be sorry, sweetheart. You were tired, you had a stressful day and you deserve a nap. The Odyssey, huh?" He asked, nuzzling his nose against Tony's jaw and throat, kissing lightly here and there. 

Tony closed his eyes and felt his skin tingling with the sensations Bucky was giving, between his soft lips and rough stubble. He let out a soft chuckle and nodded.

"Well, there were so many thrilling choices it was hard to decide. Between the Hitchhikers Guide, The Hobbit, all the Steven King and the Rodale Book of Composting, it was a wonder I could even pick one," he laughed.

A chuckle rumbled out of Bucky's mouth, vibrating against Tony's throat, sending a shiver up the older mans' spine. 

"Did you eat yet?" He asked, pulling back to see Tony. 

"Not yet, I wanted to wait for you," Tony said with a little yawn.

"Well, how about I get cleaned up and changed out of my work clothes and then I take you out for dinner? I don't really want to cook tonight," he admitted, stretching a little. Tony could hear Bucky's spine popping and cracking as he twisted. 

"Let me treat you this time. You already got lunch," Tony responded, brushing the back of his fingers against the sharp stubble at Bucky's jawline absently. Bucky closed his eyes and smiled, then slowly nodded.

"Sounds fair."

******************

Bucky had peeled his sweaty shirt from his skin and quickly jumped into the shower. Tony could barely convince himself not to join him after watching him undress and undo the braid from his dark hair. It was like his own private strip tease, and who could blame him for growing half hard in his pants? 

Instead, he used the time to wash his face and carefully trim his beard, bringing the edges back into line where the tiny hair had begun to grow back. He changed into a nicer shirt and threw on a cardigan that had reinforced elbows. It was comfortable but still a good look. He smiled at his appearance in the mirror. He hadn't felt this good about himself in a while. 

He'd been surprised when Bucky chose a bright, mustard yellow flannel shirt and a pair of black jeans that did everything to compliment his baby blues and his chestnut hair. The man was a damn good looker. 

Bucky drove, and Tony was happy to let him. He was used to being the one to drive everywhere. Bucky reached his hand over and placed it on Tony's knee, squeezing gently and caressing his inner thigh as he drove. 

They decided on a nice sushi restaurant, and parked in a lot behind the building. When they entered the building, the hostess lead them to a quiet, secluded corner near the back. The table was a dark mahogany wood square table, set up with a few small candles in the middle and crystal clear glasses ready for their drinks of choice. 

Tony ordered a bright Japanese plum wine, nothing too fancy, but still delicious. Bucky's eyes were appreciative at Tony's memory of his love for plums. 

They ordered a few nigiri rolls as well as some temaki and oshizushi and decided to share them, Bucky ordering something spicy that Tony had never tried. Tony asked about Bucky's day at the restaurant and they talked about books and their families. 

Bucky drained his glass of wine and pushed his chair back, standing.

"I'm going to head to the restroom, I'll be right back," he said, kissing Tony's cheek before he left. Tony smiled and watched him go, the restroom on the opposite side of the restaurant, and then flagged down a waiter.

He was a young man, looking around Bucky's age, with a handsome smile and bright golden honey colored eyes. He knelt down beside Tony to talk at eye level with him. 

"I'd like two more bottles of this wine please," Tony requested of the young man. "I'd like to take them home." He smiled, excited to surprise Bucky with them. He'd drunk most of the first bottle himself already. 

"Of course, sir, and how's everything else?" He asked dutifully.

"Perfect," Tony answered. "The chef is great tonight."

"Thank you sir, I'll be sure to let him know," the man said cheerily. 

Tony felt hands slide over his shoulders from behind, gliding over his collar bones and crossing over each other in an X over his chest tightly. He smiled and looked up at Bucky, standing behind him, but the younger man had his eyes locked onto the waiter. He held Tony firmly and watched the waiter stand up and leave with a bow, before crouching to Tony's other side. His face was serious and his lips were stretched into a straight line, jaw set. 

Bucky locked his eyes onto Tony's and his hand slid up the back of Tony's neck, threading through the back of his hair. His fingers began to tighten slowly as he leaned forward to whisper into Tony's ear.

"What are you doing, baby?" He whispered, an edge of what sounded like anger lacing into his usually sweet voice. He gripped Tony's hair so tightly that Tony winced, and the older man's eyes widened, in surprise, and a little fear. 

"I was-" His words were cut off with a gasp when Bucky gave a sharp tug at his hair. The man was so close to Tony's ear that he couldn't see his face to read his expression.

"Flirting with the waiter?" He asked, voice sounding incredulous and accusing.

Tony's heart stopped, then began to pound fast and hard in his chest. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead and he felt tears beginning to well up in his eyes. 

Oh god. This was Peter. Peter had said almost the exact same thing on so many occasions. This was Peter's jealousy and distrust and-and Bucky promised he'd never hurt Tony. He wouldn't _really_ hurt him, would he? The iron fingers in his hair stung but, he wouldn't start hitting him would he? What if Bucky was just the same as Peter? What if he'd made a mistake, what if this was just the way his life was meant to be? What if there was just a sign on Tony's forehead that read "hurt me", and no matter what he did or who he met, this was just the life of abuse he was meant to have? And Bucky was so much bigger than Peter, so much stronger. What if he _did_ decide to start hurting him? 

Maybe he could still get out, he could afford a hotel for a few days and find his own place, he could just be single and alone-

His panicked thoughts were cut off when Bucky's fingers loosened from his hair. The man took a deep breath, as if smelling the scent of Tony's hair, then he kissed him lightly on his temple and rose to slide into his own chair. His gaze was still serious as he sat down, pouring the last of the bottle of wine into his glass and taking a sip. Finally, he spoke. 

"Don't try to make me jealous, baby. I'm _very_ protective over the things that I care about. Unless you're looking for me to be rough with you tonight. Even then, don't. All you have to do is ask me."

Tony found himself speechless, too anxious and afraid to say anything, so he just nodded his head in agreement and averted his gaze to the table in front of him. He could feel the way his body had tensed and gone rigid in every muscle, and suddenly, he couldn't wait to leave the restaurant, while simultaneously being too frightened to leave and be alone with Bucky. 

He grabbed his own glass of wine from the table in front of him, trying to hide the way his hand shook, and gulped it down, blinking his tears back before they could spill over. 

"You about ready to head home, love?" Bucky asked in a soft voice. Tony glanced up at the younger man and saw that his face looked sweet again, eyes no longer boring into him. He nodded in response and trained his eyes back onto the dark wood of the table, studying the swirls of the wood as if they held the key to the universe. 

The waiter came back then, placing the check on the table between them and setting a brown paper bag beside Tony, bowing low again before leaving once more. Tony smiled at the man, but didn't bring his gaze up higher than the name-tag on his uniform shirt. He was sure that he could feel Bucky's watchful eyes on him during the awkward interaction and it made his pulse race. 

He quickly grabbed the check and his bag and stood, heading for the front desk to pay, feeling Bucky's presence close behind. Once they exited the building, his pace slowed significantly, putting off being alone with the man for as many long seconds as he could squeeze out. He felt Bucky's big hand rest gently on his shoulder blade, unable to stop himself from flinching away from the touch. 

"You alright, doll? You're awfully quiet all of a sudden," Bucky said, sounding genuinely concerned.

Tony immediately nodded his head, still not willing to look at Bucky, then quickly cleared his throat and forced out, "yeah, fine. I'm fine."

He heard Bucky's footsteps grind to a halt in the loose gravel and cursed not having driven himself. He had to wait for Bucky to unlock the doors, and was completely at his mercy now. He stood beside the passenger side of the vehicle, head down and kicking gently at the gravel while he waited. He tried to look unbothered, so that maybe Bucky would open the doors sooner. 

Bucky's arms circled around Tony's waist and pulled him backward into himself. He held him tightly and nuzzled his nose against Tony's throat, kissing him lightly. 

"You're lying to me. What's wrong sweetheart?" He whispered into Tony's ear. Tony couldn't contain his shiver at the chill it sent down his spine. His stomach was twisting unpleasantly, warring with himself internally, trying to know what he should do. 

_"You do not have to accept bad treatment. You deserve better."_

That's what Bucky had said when they'd first met. Had he really meant it? Or had he just meant when Peter did it?

Tony took a deep breath and steeled himself mentally and physically.

"You threatened me," he stated in a quiet voice, trying to keep his breathing even. He felt Bucky's grip loosen slightly at his waist.

"…what?" Bucky responded, though he didn't sound angry. 

Tony's shoulders tensed again and he repeated himself, louder. 

"You threatened me. You accused me of flirting with someone else and you threatened me. You sound just like…" he trailed off, feeling his throat tighten at all the bad memories it was bringing back. 

Bucky let go of Tony's waist completely and grabbed his arms, spinning him around to face him. Tony nervously flicked his eyes toward Bucky's face and was relieved to find it not angry but full of his own worry. 

"N-no, I…" he trailed off, thinking back on what had happened. "no, baby, I… I didn't mean to…. To make you feel… I, I'm so sorry Tony," he finally acquiesced, looking ashamed of himself. 

"You're right. I'm no better than him, am I?" He asked sadly, face dropping. 

"I didn't mean to… _threaten_ you, I swear. I just… I told you I can be possessive," he stated mournfully. "I really am, Tony. I'm falling for you, hard and fast. And I… I can't lose someone I care about so much that way again," he finished, voice thick with emotion. 

Tony looked up at the man. He had his head down and his palm held to his forehead, arms crossed defensively across his chest. Tony could see tears falling fast from his closed eyes. 

"Again?" Tony asked tentatively.

Just then the door from the restaurant opened and an older gentleman stepped from the building, standing close to the brick and lighting a cigarette. Tony wrapped his arms around Bucky's shoulders loosely and held him for a moment while the man sobbed silently. 

"Maybe we should take this talk somewhere more private," Tony whispered into Bucky's ear. Bucky nodded and sniffled, grinding the palms of his hands through the tears streaming down his face. He looked up at Tony miserably and sighed.

"Will you drive, please?" He asked, sounding vulnerable in a way that Tony hadn't heard before, handing over his keys. 

"Of course, baby."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trouble in paradise.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the waterworks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :{

Tony sat opposite Bucky on the couch, both of them with their knees pulled to their chests, feet resting on the couch, Tony gripping a mug of hot tea. His day had been such a crazy emotional rollercoaster, he felt like he could fall asleep for days. He was completely drained and exhausted, like all the events of the day had stretched into a week and he couldn't wait for it to end. 

They'd driven home in almost complete silence, aside from Bucky's choked back sobs and quiet hiccups, and Tony's nervous shifting as he drove. 

Bucky's eyes were swollen and red, and he lay with his head against the back of the couch staring into space. He'd managed to stop crying but his face showed his own exhaustion clearly.

"Are you going to leave?" Bucky's broken and hoarse voice rang through the silence. Tony let out a tired sigh and they looked at each other through bleary eyes. 

"I think it's too late tonight, sugar plum," Tony responded finally in a tired voice. 

"So you thought about it. You _want_ to," Bucky stated, burying his face deeper into the back of the couch miserably.

"I _have_ to think about it, Buck. I just left behind a bad relationship. Literally, just this morning. I can't just jump into… something just like it. I mean, what would you do?" Tony asked sincerely.

Bucky turned his blue eyes onto Tony's warm chocolate ones and shrugged sadly. 

"Leave," he said in a tiny voice. Immediately, he was overcome with sadness, lip beginning to quiver and his chest and shoulders shaking from holding back an entire breakdown. He drew in a shaky breath and sat up straighter, looking Tony in the eyes. 

" _Please_ don't leave," he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself in an effort to hold himself together. "I promise I won't do it again, I promise," he begged. "I promise you, I'm better than that now." Tony sighed, too tired to argue, and closed his eyes. 

"Why don't we go to bed, sweetheart. It's really late. We can talk more once we're better rested," he suggested calmly. 

Bucky nodded his head and sighed, glad Tony was still willing to at least talk about it. Tony stood and offered his hand, helping the younger man to stand, but when he turned to lead him to the room, Bucky resisted, pulling Tony's arm back. 

Tony looked back quizzically, but didn't have time to ask any questions before Bucky was wrapping his arms around Tony tightly. He burrowed his face into Tony's throat, pressing feather-light kisses to his collar bone. 

"I really am sorry, Tony. I really do care about you more than I can say," he whispered, giving Tony a quick squeeze before letting go. He timidly met Tony's eyes and nodded slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. 

Tony didn't respond, but gently took Bucky's hand back in his own and turned again to lead him toward the bedroom. He followed willingly this time. 

When they reached the bedroom, Tony helped Bucky undress, much like the younger man had done for him, then tucked him under the covers before retiring to the other side of the bed himself. He curled into the blanket, wondering if by tomorrow night he'd be sleeping in an even more unfamiliar hotel room.

"Hey Tone?" Bucky's soft voice called him out of his thoughts and he turned to face the younger man. 

"Can I, c-can we… do you mind if I…" Tony waited for Bucky to finish whatever he was going to ask. 

Bucky let out a sigh and tried again.

"Can I hold you, Tony? Please?" 

Tony thought for a moment, then scooted forward toward Bucky, draping his hand gently onto the younger man's waist. Bucky smiled happily and moved in close to Tony's embrace, wrapping him up in his own arms tightly and tangling his legs with Tony's. He rested his head on Tony's chest and sighed deeply, no space between them any longer.

Tony couldn't help but smile. He could smell the sandalwood shampoo that Bucky used, mixed with a faint smell of sweat, and it calmed Tony in a way he wasn't used to. Even with everything that had happened, he still would rather hold Bucky close than to push him away. He realized what a huge difference that was, being comfortable being with Bucky as compared to when he'd been with Peter. Bucky seemed genuinely apologetic, unlike Peter ever had been. 

He gently kissed the crown of Bucky's head and closed his eyes, both of them falling quickly into sleep. 

*******************

When Tony opened his eyes, Bucky was already awake, laying in the bed in front of him. His gorgeous blue eyes shone in the early morning sunlight, hair in a wild halo around his head on the pillow. He was absently playing with Tony's hair, face looking far away. He looked so beautiful.

"What're you thinking about?" Tony mumbled sleepily. Bucky shifted slightly and his brows furrowed just the tiniest bit.

"What _were_ you doing with the waiter last night?" His voice sounded not angry, but vulnerable, and Tony sighed at the question.

"I was buying you some wine," Tony stated honestly, stretching a little. His spine popped a few times as he did so. 

"Buying me…" Bucky trailed off, thinking about what Tony had said.

"I saw how much you liked it. I wanted to surprise you with it," Tony continued.

Bucky's face fell, looking ashamed of himself. Tony reached out and gingerly caressed Bucky's cheekbone with the back of his fingers. 

"What did you mean when you said 'again'?" Tony threw his own question out. 

Bucky shifted again, regarding Tony seriously. He reached up to the hand that Tony had at his cheek and gripped it tightly, bringing it down to hold firmly near his heart. He sighed and turned his gaze up toward the ceiling.

"His name was Ravus. He was so 'cool'. He was handsome and a few years older than me, and we met right after I graduated high school. Everything was such a whirlwind, everything happened so fast. He asked me to move in with him, and I thought that it was true love, so of course I said yes. He was my first. I thought it was just _supposed_ to hurt, so I didn't think twice when he used me. That's all it was. He was using me. I thought he loved me," Bucky rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling, still clutching Tony's hand to his heart. Tony could feel the way his heart pounded harder and faster as he spoke, and he stayed quiet. 

"It was great at first. He was sweet and he flattered me a lot. Told me I was his number one. I didn't realize at the time that I was just one of many. He flirted with people right in front of me, and when I got jealous or confronted him about it, he treated me like I was crazy. Just insane for being jealous. He would take me out for a dinner date and give his phone number to the waitress while I was sitting right there. I started getting angry about it, resorting to yelling and pushing. He'd just laugh at me," Bucky's voice was quiet, clearly thick with old hurt. Tony reached over and swiped away a stray tear as it ran from his eyes. 

"He brought out the worst in me," Bucky continued, still staring at the ceiling. "He made me jealous and distrustful. I couldn't trust anything he said or did, and I started becoming violent. He'd come home late at night and I would scream at him until my throat bled, and he would just laugh and deny everything. I was a lot like Peter then, trying to follow him and keep an eye on him. I was so angry all the time, snapping at everyone. Finally, one night…" he trailed off, swallowing and glancing at Tony from the corner of his eye. He squeezed Tony's hand tighter and took a deep breath. 

"One night, I followed him to a mutual friend's house. I wasn't sure why they wouldn't have invited me, so I knocked on the door. They were having a party. They looked surprised to see me but they let me in anyways, and I looked everywhere for Ravus. Finally, I checked the bedroom and I found him… fucking some bimbo. I was so angry and hurt. I just completely lost it, and I… I beat the shit out of him," Bucky turned his head away in shame, tears falling faster from his eyes. 

"I really hurt him. He had to be hospitalized, and I spent some time in jail. I didn't see him again after that. That was a long time ago. I had a few guys here and there after that. Some I thought might actually work out, but… they all left in the end. I was too violent, too angry. I couldn't _trust_ anyone. They all knew they could do better and… they left. They could see I was broken. Messed up, wrong. I've been alone for a long time." Bucky turned away from Tony, still holding fast to his hand. 

Tony recognized the vulnerable position Bucky was in and moved closer to him, pressing his body against him. He gently pulled his hand free of Bucky's grip and began tenderly pulling strands of his hair back over his shoulder, tucking it behind his ear. He kissed at Bucky's neck and behind his ear, listening to the silent sobs pouring from the younger man's chest. 

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Buck," Tony whispered sincerely into Bucky's ear. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I promise you, there's nothing wrong with you."

Bucky didn't respond, curling tighter around himself as he continued to cry. Tony replaced his arm around the younger man's middle, pulling him in close and tight to his embrace. 

They lay like that for a while, Tony providing silent comfort and caresses while Bucky poured out his old hurt and sorrow. When Bucky finally spoke, it was in a hoarse whisper.

"It's okay if you want to leave, I understand. Everyone leaves."

Tony's heart jolted in empathetic pain for the man, knowing almost exactly what he felt like in that moment. Suddenly, it made sense to Tony. Why Bucky had approached him that night at the club, why he was so adamant that Tony deserved better. This was _his_ story too, only he hadn't had anyone to help him through it. He could read the pain on Tony's face clearly and had decided to help him in a way that he probably hadn't had himself. It made sense why he'd been so upset and watchful at the restaurant. It wasn't about Tony, it was about _Ravus_. It wasn't about Peter, it was about _Ravus_.

Tony glanced at the clock. It was still only a quarter to seven in the morning. The sun had just barely risen. They had time. 

"I'm not leaving, sweet boy. I think we need to talk today. About all the things that we haven't told each other. I don't even know your middle name," He answered softly. Bucky's chest rumbled in a wry chuckle, vibrating against Tony's chest. 

"You don't even know my _first_ name."

Tony thought about what Bucky said, rolling it around in his head in confusion.

"What does _that_ mean?" He finally asked in a nervous, quiet voice, sitting up a little to look over Bucky's shoulder at him. Bucky sniffled and turned to look back at Tony with red eyes. 

"My name isn't Bucky. My real name."

"…Okay, you can't just say _that_ and leave me hanging, what the hell does that mean?" Tony asked, beginning to grow timorous rapidly. 

Bucky sat up slowly, scrubbing his palms over his face, and Tony sat up right after him, still trying to get an answer from the man. 

"Who are you?" Tony asked tremulously, almost afraid of the answer. Bucky turned finally and looked Tony straight in the eyes. He smiled and laughed a little bit at Tony's nervous expression, shaking his head a little.

"My name's James. James Buchanan Barnes," he answered truthfully. "Bucky is what people call me. What people _used_ to call me. I've just gone by that name for a long time. It's not really mine."

Tony exhaled a sigh of relief, a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and smiled a little, laughing under his breath. 

"You're a shit head," he grumbled out, feeling the nervous tension draining from his limbs as he understood what Bucky had meant. _Bucky_?

"So what do _I_ call you, then?" Tony asked, reaching to take the younger mans' hand. Bucky looked surprised, then smiled at Tony.

"You can call me James, if you wanna." He smiled, looking a little shy. Tony smiled at him and leaned forward to press a kiss to his jaw. 

"James is very pretty," he whispered into the younger man's ear. He didn't miss the way he shivered at the sound of his voice. 

"Let's go make some coffee and talk, _James_." He pulled back and kissed James passionately, nothing holding him back. "And, good morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honesty is key.  
> Poor James. 😞  
> Explains a few things though, right?   
> Do you think Tony's making the right choice, allowing himself to trust James again?
> 
> What do you think???  
> Please leave comments! I live to know what the readers think!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I suck at summaries.

James and Tony sat at the wooden table in James' dining room sipping coffee and stealing glances at each other over their mugs. James had already let his staff know that he wouldn't be in to work that day so they could take as much time as they needed.

Tony expected the twisted, heavy, sick feeling in his gut to have intensified by the morning, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that he felt _almost_ completely comfortable with James again, the way he had the day before. 

Not entirely, of course. The situation at the restaurant had still freaked him out, and it wasn't exactly something he was going to forget about any time soon. But, he didn't have the feeling of looming dread the way he was used to with Peter. 

"Do you always react that way?" Tony asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"What way? What do you mean?" James asked, perplexed and setting his mug down. He was leaned back slightly in his chair so that his knees "accidentally" brushed up against Tony's. 

"Sorry, I was thinking about the restaurant," Tony amended, realizing he hadn't been very clear. "When you thought I was flirting…. Do you always react with threats?" Tony asked, shifting slightly in his chair.

Bucky flushed red and quickly turned his attention to the cup of coffee in front of him, brushing a stray strand of hair behind his ear and hiding behind his hand as he did. 

"Uh, n-not always. Sometimes I… I guess I just get really upset. Sad," he answered, not looking at Tony.

"So, sadness and anger," Tony said, sounding like he was making a mental checklist. "You also said something else that caught my attention, what was it…" Tony rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh, that's right, you said 'don't try to make me jealous, unless you want me to be rough with you.' You said, all I have to do is ask?" Tony repeated with a smirk, sipping from his mug.

James' face turned an impossible shade of red and he glanced at Tony from the corner of his eye.

"I-I… I was just… caught up in the moment…" he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Shame. That's something I wouldn't mind asking for," Tony said teasingly in a low voice. 

James looked at him with surprise clear on his face. Tony didn't miss the way his black pupils expanded significantly and the way he squirmed in his seat a little, trying to adjust his pants nonchalantly.

"Does that have anything to do with the biting and the growling stuff?" Tony asked, genuinely curious, taking another sip of his coffee. He was enjoying making James squirm a little. He was always so calm and collected any other time. 

James cleared his throat. "Uh, I suppose it does a little bit. I'm… I'm possessive… and jealous. And maybe I like to be rough sometimes…" he trailed off, shifting and adjusting his pants again. Tony smiled and cleared his throat. 

"Speaking of possessive… That sort of implies ownership…" he let the thought hang in the air. 

James looked back at him again, this time nervously.

"I'm not trying to own you!" He quickly stated.

Tony chuckled under his breath. 

"What if it was a mutual… 'ownership'?" Tony asked, finger quotes punctuating the loose usage of the word.

"You mean like, we'd _own_ each other? What does that mean?" James asked, confused.

Tony laughed again and leaned forward to take James' hand gently. 

"Well, let me ask you this; would you _like_ to be in a relationship with me? Like a real, committed… thing? Because… I would love to work out our issues, together. I'd love to be here for you and… I'd love if you were here for me." It was Tony's turn to blush. 

James choked on his own saliva and his arm flew out to grip the table, knocking into his cup of coffee and spilling it all over the place. He quickly jumped up, righting his cup and scrabbling at the spilled liquid.

"I-shit, sorry! I-I mean, yes! Yes!" He froze, looking at Tony with wide eyes, coffee spilling off the table and into his socks. "I-I… please tell me you're not fucking with me?" James said quietly, hope written all over his face. 

Tony laughed and stood, quickly fetching a dish towel from the kitchen and returning, mopping up the puddle on the table. 

"I am in no way fucking with you. I feel…" he paused where he was wiping at the coffee and looked up at James' still nervous blue eyes. "I feel _safe_ with you. Despite everything. I like that feeling. A-and we can take things slow, I-I would _prefer_ to take things slow but… I guess I'm just hoping that we can be, you know, exclusive? I don't want to see anyone else." He slowly stood up straight, standing at eye level with James. 

James' face broke into a wide grin, and he took a step forward, gripping Tony's face in his hands. He quickly leaned forward and pressed his lips together with Tony's in a crushing kiss. He deepened the kiss almost immediately, pressing his body tightly against Tony's and gripping him firmly, frantically grinding against him, little moans pouring from his throat.

Tony pulled away from the kiss, gasping for air, wrapping his hands around James' waist, rubbing his back tenderly. He could clearly feel James' hard cock pressing against his hip as he rutted against him. The younger man had his lips attached to Tony's throat, kissing, licking and sucking the sensitive skin there, before he finally pulled away, panting. 

"Yes. Yes, I want that. I want _you_ , I don't want to date anyone else," James rambled. Finally, he pulled back a little, looking Tony in the eye. His own baby blues were nearly completely engulfed by his dilated pupils.

"I know that wasn't exactly slow and I'm sorry. But, god yes," he let out a breathy laugh, still unwilling to pull his body away from Tony's.

Tony laughed and gently kissed James' lips again, slower and softer. 

"I really hate to kill this mood," James said softly. "But I need to take a shower. I have cold coffee drying between my toes, and my feet never been more sticky in my life."

The two men laughed loudly together, all tension evaporating from the room in an instant. 

"Maybe I can join you this time?" Tony winked.

**************

They had every intention of taking things slowly, but the two of them naked and soapy together in the shower was too much temptation for either of them to resist. James had intended to touch only himself, just a little, but Tony couldn't resist himself when he reached to wrap his hand around his semi hard length. In the end, they'd finished their shower and moved to the soft bed, making slow, sensual love. 

"Oooh, yes daddy, please, harder!" James whined, tears in his eyes. They'd been at it for hours, and James had been reduced to a babbling, moaning, quaking mess. His whole body trembled with the intense pleasure that coursed through him and he gripped tightly at the edge of the mattress above his head. His breaths were shaky and his powerful legs wrapped crushingly tight around Tony's waist, pulling him in deep.

Tony had been edging James the way he liked, touching him until he was close, then letting him go at the last moment. He'd done it five times over a few hours and James' cock was a deep reddish purple, throbbing and pulsing. Tony had never seen him so needy and he loved the way the man writhed beneath his touch.

Tony didn't miss the name that flowed over James' tongue in his over-sensitized babbling, but it sounded different this time. It was different than when Peter said it, and Tony found himself actually liking it in James' voice. James said it with such love in his tone, appreciation. It was different to Peter's statements of "sugar daddy". When Peter said it, it just meant, 'someone that spoils me', it meant someone he could control. Tony found himself filling with pride when it fell from James' lips this time.

"Oh god, daddy, can you take me from behind?" James begged, eyes pleading with Tony. Tony pulled out of James' tight heat and nodded, watching James' strong muscles flex and tighten as he quickly rolled over. 

Tony smiled and watched James get on his knees, flattening his chest to his pillow and spreading his legs as far as he could, widening his hips. His cock hung heavy between his legs and precome drooled slowly from the tip. Once he was comfortable, he sighed and looked back over his shoulder at Tony, wiggling his hips just a little. Tony couldn't resist slapping the full, firm flesh of James' ass and squeezing a handful.

"God, you're so fucking gorgeous," Tony heard himself growl, reaching forward to pull James' damp hair over his shoulder, brushing his fingertips across his full lips. James' face and chest were flushed bright red, and Tony was surprised to find that the hot blush was spread across his shoulders too. He draped himself across James' back, kissing at the freckles there. His own hard cock nudged at James' flesh, teasing them both. 

"Can you be rough with me, daddy? I'm so close," James sighed out, eyes closing to feel the sensations that Tony offered. 

"Sure baby, but you have to promise me you'll tell me if it's too much," Tony said between kisses.

"Mhm, yeah I will," James mumbled, smiling at the tenderness and affection Tony was showing him. 

Tony pulled back, sitting up a little and wrapping a strand of James' dark hair around his fingers. He gave a gentle tug to get James' attention, until he opened his clear blue eyes again and looked at Tony. 

"You have to _promise_ to tell me if it's too much," he repeated softly but firmly.

James nodded his understanding. "I promise, Tony," he said sincerely, not breaking eye contact.

"Anything I shouldn't do? Anything you hate?" Tony asked, lining himself up with James' entrance again. James' eyes drifted as he thought about it for a moment, before he answered.

"Don't draw blood," he said quietly. Tony waited a moment for him to say anything else but he stayed quiet. 

"As you wish, love," Tony agreed, kissing his back one more time. He took a deep breath and glanced at James' face again, just to be sure he still looked confident, then pressed into his tight hole, slamming home in one thrust. 

James cried out at the unexpected feeling and his fingers curled tightly around the sheet beneath him. Tony set a backbreaking pace, fucking into James as hard as he could. He reached forward and grabbed as much of James' hair as he could in a messy fistful, yanking James' head back harshly. 

Tony was thrusting so hard that James was sliding up the mattress, unable to keep himself in place, broken moans and cries falling from his lips. Tony continued his onslaught, chasing him up the bed, until James hit the head board. Tony quickly wrapped his free hand around James' thick chest and used both hands to yank him up off the bed. He slammed him into the wooden headboard, pressing him flush against the cold material and continued slamming his hips into the younger man. 

" _DADDY!_ " James cried loudly, voice hoarse and hands scrabbling for purchase. His whole body was shaking and tears were beginning to streak down his face. Tony slowed for a moment, pulling back slightly to check on James. He made a mental note to discuss safe words.

"Daddy, fuck me," he begged, eyes closed tightly. His face was pressed against the headboard along with the rest of his body, and Tony took just a second to admire the position he was in, before resuming the same brutal pounding he was giving before. Tony moved his head so that his chin rested slightly on James' shoulder, then yanked his hair forcefully, pulling James' head back onto his own shoulder. He quickly licked a broad stripe up his neck and the side of James' face, then pulled his hair again so that James would face him. He consumed James' mouth in a greedy, sloppy kiss, moaning into the younger mans' mouth. When he broke the kiss, he looked into James' clear blue eyes and saw that he was dazed, lost to his own pleasure. His expression was almost vacant, aside from the intense pleasure written across his face.

Tony pushed his face back against the headboard with a thump and released his hair, gripping his hips tightly. He pulled James' young, fleshy ass into himself as he pounded into him, so hard that he knew it had to hurt at least a little bit.

James let out a shriek at the change of angle, and cries and whimpers began to tumble from his lips as he babbled incoherently, gripping tightly to the headboard.

"Ye-yes, oh god-pl, please, god daddy, oh god yes, fuck there, there, THERE!" He cried loudly, his body tensing and quaking hard. His tight hole began to clench around Tony's hard cock and Tony let out a cry of his own. He knew James was close, but he didn't want to come like this. He quickly pulled out again, earning a cry of protest from James, and gripped onto his shoulders, moving out of the way as he threw him back onto the mattress. 

James looked stunned for a second, surprised by the speed at which they'd changed positions, but he didn't have much time to adjust before Tony was climbing back on top of him. 

He pushed James' thighs apart harshly, pressing his legs open wide into the mattress, then slid back into him with a grunt. James gasped at the feeling and arched his back into Tony's hips.

Tony pressed his body flush against James', slapping his face hard twice, before gripping his jaw tightly in his hand. He shook James' face roughly and the younger man's eyes flew open wide. 

Tony was grinding into him, so deep that he knew if he looked, he'd be able to see the outline of himself in James' stomach. He didn't pull back anymore, just grinding as hard and deep as he could against James' swollen prostate.

"You gonna come for daddy?" He demanded, giving James' face another rough shake. 

"Yes daddy!" James yelped, overwhelmed in sensation. Tony threaded his fingers back into James' hair and closed his fingers iron tight, yanking so hard that he could feel some of the hairs snapping. He rested his whole weight in his hips, grinding and panting. 

"Oh fuck! Daddy, can I please-? I have to, oh god daddy, I'm coming!" He squealed, writhing in Tony's grip beneath him. His hole tightened again and it was enough to send Tony over the edge. They came panting, groaning and crying together. 

Crying?

"Baby, are you okay?" Tony asked worriedly. "Did I hurt you?"

James let out a breathy laugh and wiped at his tears. 

"I'm okay, daddy. That was really intense," he admitted with a smile. Tony kissed his neck and chest softly, helping James come down from his high. 

"I'm glad it was good," Tony whispered into his throat.

They were quiet for a moment, kissing and sighing contentedly. James broke the silence a moment later.

"We're going to need another shower," he laughed. 

"I promise to keep my hands to myself this time," Tony said with a smile. James laughed louder and wrapped his arms around Tony again gently. They lay together for a while, panting and running their fingers over each other. 

******************

After they'd showered again, James dressed quickly and went to the kitchen to make them both lunch. Tony pulled on clean pants and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, looking around him and sighing happily at the way his life had so quickly turned around. He couldn't believe how lucky he'd gotten.

And there was no denying that he was falling for James. James Buchanan Barnes. He really enjoyed the way it sounded and the way it felt on his tongue. He knew they should be taking it slow, not jumping in with both feet, but if he were being honest with himself, he wanted to take James and proudly introduce him to all of his closest friends and family. He wanted to be the one James needed for everything. He wanted to go shop to find the perfect ring, one that would be absolutely perfect on his beautiful fingers. He sighed and smiled to himself. He probably shouldn't say any of these thoughts out loud. 

"Hey Tone! Do you like balsamic vinaigrette dressing?" James' voice called down the hallway from the kitchen. Tony chuckled quietly, his heart feeling full and content, and he quickly stood to grab a shirt from his bag, pulling it on and walking to meet James in the kitchen. 

"Yeah babe, that sounds great," he replied, taking in the sight of his _new boyfriend_ (it made his heart flutter to think it) standing barefoot in the kitchen, damp, messy hair thrown over his shoulder, shirt tight and jeans tighter. He had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around him and rip his clothes from his body again.

"Can I help with anything?" Tony asked, looking at the colorful salad James was throwing together.

"You could grab some drinks if you want," James smiled over his shoulder at him. Tony barely contained his swoon at the sight. Damn the guy was gorgeous. "You wanna eat in here or outside?" He asked, giving the fancy looking salad a toss. 

"Wherever you'd like to is perfect," Tony replied, not resisting his urge to kiss James' shoulder before he walked away. He grabbed a couple glasses and decided he'd open one of the bottles of plum wine that he'd bought at the restaurant. He'd already been chilling them in the fridge. 

"Oh, good idea, babe!" James smiled excitedly when he saw Tony pulling the bottle from the fridge. He paused and his smile fell, then he looked up into Tony's dark eyes. Suddenly he looked shy and drawn in to himself.

"What's the matter?" Tony asked in confusion. "You wanna save it? I got two."

Bucky gave a sort of half smile and stepped into Tony's space, sliding his arms around his waist. 

"I'm so sorry, Tony. For the way I acted. It wasn't right, and I should have known better. I need some help with my anger problems, and I'm so sorry you have to deal with that," he said in a quiet, sincere voice. "Please forgive me, dadd-" he cut off with a tiny gasp and pulled back with wide eyes.

"Dammit, I've been calling you- Oh Tony, I'm so sorry! Dammit, I just keep fucking up, huh?" He tried to laugh, taking a small step back. Tony quickly followed him with his own step forward and reached up to thread his fingers through James' damp hair. 

"It's okay, honey. I'm happy to be here for you through your issues, I have my own, remember? And... It's okay if you call me daddy. Actually, I thought I didn't like it, but… it kinda makes me feel tingly," he winked at James, trying to reassure him. 

"Are you sure? You asked me not to and I just completely disregarded-"

"You forgot. Don't beat yourself up about it. It's okay. It actually made me feel really sexy when you said it in bed," he said in a low voice, gently nipping at the tip of James' nose. That got a giggle from the man and Tony was pleased to get a smile.

"Maybe we'll just keep it in the bedroom though?" Tony added on. James nodded and smiled. 

"Thanks, honey. For being… well, not an asshole," James laughed. 

"So, work isn't mad that you didn't come in today? They won't be struggling or anything?" Tony asked. 

"Nah, they got it, all the big stuff was done yesterday. What about you though? Where do you work?" James asked curiously. 

"Actually, I don't technically work anywhere. I inherited my family's money and my dad's shop when they passed. So, I can go whenever I want," Tony replied. 

"Shop? Like, mechanic?" 

"Yeah, I'm something along the lines of an inventor, you could say. A tinkerer." 

"Wow, that's... Really cool actually. No wonder you're so buff, all that lifting heavy machinery," James winked, reaching to squeeze the older man's ass.

Tony chuckled. "If you say so, baby."

James laughed and shook his head at Tony's humble response and gave his chest a little shove. 

"Let's eat these salads before I starve to death," he chuckled, turning to grab the decanter of dressing from the counter and drizzling some over his bowl. He handed the glass bottle to Tony and nodded his head toward the sliding glass door, signaling that he was heading outside. Tony quickly dressed his own bowl and followed suit, bottle of wine and two glasses in hand. 

When he walked through the sliding door, he saw James already sitting cross legged in the grass.

"Sorry to say but I'm way too old to be sitting all the way down there. I'd never get up again," Tony laughed, crossing instead to the hanging chair that hung from the deck and perching himself on the edge. 

James laughed and looked over his huge back yard.

"I got some of the dandelion leaves in this salad out here the other day," he stated, reaching to take a bite of his own. 

"Dandelion? Like the weed?" Tony asked quizzically, scrutinizing the strange looking salad that James had made. 

"Absolutely! They're so good for you, tons of vitamins and minerals. I got most of this stuff from my garden. Spinach, arugula, good shit," he said, taking a huge forkful of leaves and stuffing it into his mouth. He poked the tip of his tongue out to lick the dressing off of his lips and looked at Tony trying to dissect his bowl with amusement.

"You're totally a hippie, aren't you?" Tony asked jokingly, earning a big laugh from the younger man. 

"I guess so," he shrugged. His eyes looked so bright and clear in the sunlight. Tony poked at his salad again with his fork, pushing it around to see what was in it. 

"What's all in here?" He finally asked. James laughed again.

"Doesn't look so good?" James asked. "It's my own creation. I think I might add it to the menu at the diner. It's spinach, arugula, dandelion leaves like I said, and there's strawberries, radishes, bok choy, red leaf lettuce, grapefruit, walnuts, avocado, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese-"

"Because a cheeseburger is too easy?" Tony interrupted with a little laugh. 

James chuckled. "I can make you something else if you don't want it, sweetheart. I didn't actually ask if you like this kinda stuff," he said, moving to stand up.

"No no no! It's okay, really!" Tony said quickly, feeling bad for being so picky. "I'm just an asshole, it's fine!" He rushed to say. He quickly speared a bite with his fork and stuffed it into his mouth. He hoped he was doing a good job at keeping the wince off his face, but once he began to actually chew, he found that all the flavors mixed deliciously.

"Mmm," he caught himself humming, going back for another forkful. James popped a tomato into his mouth and smirked a little at Tony. 

"Not so bad?" He asked with a grin. Tony smiled sheepishly. 

"Not so bad," he agreed, lightly blushing. He took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, wondering how many times Peter had tried to get him to try something new and maybe he hadn't. Maybe some of his problems with Peter were really stemmed from his own stubbornness, maybe not. He glanced at James, who was happily chewing a big mouthful, while gazing absently at the blue sky above them. It was almost funny, such a big, muscular man, sitting in the grass barefoot with his big bowl of salad and his hair blowing gently in the breeze. Almost funny, but mostly adorable. 

"Can I ask you a question?" Tony's voice rang through the midday quiet. 

"Sure," James mumbled around a mouthful. 

"Do you…" Tony lowered his bowl to his lap, wondering if he should ask or not. "Do you think about… Ravus… very often?"

James paused and looked at Tony with an unreadable expression, possibly wondering why the man was asking. 

"Do you still think about Peter?" He asked his own question in return. 

"Well, I don't know if that's quite the same. I mean, Peter was really recent for me. Of course I still think about him. More than I wish I did, honestly. But, that'll change, right?" He asked. 

James nodded, setting his mostly empty bowl down beside him in the grass. 

"Yeah, I still think about him sometimes. Not as often as I did when I was younger. But, sometimes something will remind me of him. I try not to, though." He replied earnestly.

Tony nodded, setting his bowl next to him on the chair. James sighed and lay back, sprawling on the soft grass and looking up at the sky. 

"I sometimes wonder if he got better. I hope that he did, for the sake of anyone he's been with since," James admitted softly. Tony watched him for a minute, then decided to stand, joining him in the grass. To hell with old knees, he'd get up eventually.

He curled up into James' side, draping his arms and legs over the younger man, and his embrace was returned, big arms wrapping around Tony and holding him firmly, fingers carding into his hair. James kissed Tony's forehead and Tony could feel more than see the smile that graced James' lips.

"You know, there's this thing in a few days, like a ceremony type thing. It's for the diner and I have to go. I _was_ going to go stag but… I was thinking, maybe… maybe you'd like to be my date? You know, hot piece of arm candy to show off to all the plebs?" James joked, wiggling his shoulders a bit, shaking Tony slightly. Tony let out a chuckle and looked up at Bucky.

"Ooh, does that mean I get to see you all dressed up?" He waggled his eyebrows at the younger man and James laughed. 

"Yeah, it's formal. It's not my favorite thing to do in the world but, I really can't skip out on it," he admitted. "So… whaddya say? Be my fella?" He asked again, almost sheepishly. Tony smiled and nodded. 

"I would love to, sweetheart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I've been Mondo busy. But anyways, what did you think? Please comment? 😀🙃


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving forward, having discussions and making discoveries, all while plenty of smut happens. I have a pretty big :O moment planned for the next chapter, so stay tuned!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get any feedback on my last chapter, so I'm hoping people are still enjoying this story, if not for the plot, at least for the smut lol

So a few days was actually four, and James was growing more nervous by the minute. Tony wasn't sure exactly what he was so worried about, as far as he knew, it was some sort of award ceremony for fastest growing business or something of the like. He wanted to ask, but every time he broached the subject, James got shaky and began to stutter and trip over himself. 

Well, it probably _was_ a little nerve-wracking, he'd have to go in front of a whole room full of people, most that he wouldn't know since it was open to the public, and most likely would have to say a few words of acceptance. Regardless, Tony couldn't help being filled completely with pride for the younger man. 

James was trying to keep himself busy at work, keeping the diner running flawlessly as usual, but he was spending extra hours there, coming home late completely exhausted and run ragged. 

Tony started bringing him coffee and little treats at work to make sure he was taking a break. He was so distracted lately, but Tony couldn't blame him. He only started worrying when he noticed that the younger man seemed to be losing weight at a pretty rapid pace. That was what spurred the random visits with donuts and stopping by to ensure he was eating lunch. 

He was on his way in to the diner with a big cup of coffee and a cannoli from the bakery down the road on this particular day. It was some kind of foamy caramel latte. He'd noticed that the younger man had a preference for caramel flavoring, even if he'd never admit it, and the sweeter the beverage, the more of it he drank. 

He walked through the doors around two, when he knew the lunch rush would have died down and James would have more time to sit with him. He saw that there was actually only one other person in the diner, a young woman with a coffee and a laptop, busily typing away. The place was pretty quiet aside from that. 

Tony spotted Marina on the other side of the room, wiping the tables clean from the previous rush and walked to catch her attention. She spotted him before he could say anything.

"Hey, boss's babe! Boy is he going to be glad to see you, he's having a pretty rough day today," she told him.

"Everything alright?" Tony asked worriedly. 

"Oh, everything around here has been pretty great honestly, he's just so damn nervous! He's got a major case of "the drops" and he can't stop shaking. He's in his office right now trying to relax for a minute," she informed Tony. "C'mon, I'll take you back there," she said, leading him into the heart of the diner. 

Tony had never actually been past the front counter, so he felt a mixture of excitement and joy that the staff trusted him enough. 

The friendly woman lead him past the counter and through a door that lead through to the kitchen, where a few other men and women were busy prepping containers of food, scoring dough for bread, washing dishes and filling out official looking forms. Tony saw one young man sweeping at a pile of what looked to be flour on the floor, the powder dusting over the counter and streaked across the floor around him like a bomb had gone off, and wondered if that was one of James' clumsy casualties. 

Marina stopped outside of a door that lead into a small room at the backside of the kitchen, clearly James' office, and gave Tony a pat on the shoulder. 

"Get 'im in good spirits, baby," she said with a smile as she walked back toward the front of the restaurant. Tony took a deep breath and knocked on the door lightly, leaning in to listen for a response. 

"C'mon in, I'm almost done with this order, Jason," he called, clearly expecting someone else. Tony glanced around and wondered which one of the young guys in the kitchen might be Jason, before heading through the door.

He stepped in quietly, taking in the sight of his young beau. James was sitting at his desk, furiously scribbling in a green and white book, numbers and figures, and his free hand was pressed against his forehead, wisps of hair loose and wild looking. He was muttering under his breath as he wrote and he kept smoothing his hair down, more as a reflex than a motion that was actually helping to tame his hair. Tony could see flour splattered all over his shirt and arms, smudged across his face and streaked through his dark hair. He peeked around the corner of James' desk and saw that his feet and pant legs were clearly the worst of it. He'd definitely dropped something with quite a bit of flour in it. 

"What's up Jay, you sure you don't want me to help you clean that shit up?" He asked in a voice that sounded exhausted, not bothering to look up.

"I think he'll be alright for a bit," Tony responded in a gentle voice. Despite his calm, James jumped to his feet, sending his chair careening backward and practically throwing his pencil across his desk.

"Honey!" He exclaimed, visibly trembling. He looked like he was torn between reaching to right his chair or to greet Tony properly, deciding quickly on the latter. 

He rushed around his desk and wrapped Tony in shaking arms, holding him tightly. Tony quickly tossed the bag of cannolis onto the younger mans' desk, switching the coffee to the other hand and setting it down as well before enveloping him firmly in his own arms. He ran his hands soothingly up and down James' spine, rocking slightly. 

"Having a hard day, sugar plum?" Tony asked in a quiet voice. He felt James nod, still shaking and gulping in big breaths. He sounded like he was on the verge of an anxiety attack. 

"It's alright, love, what's got you all worked up?" He asked, nuzzling his nose against James' throat gently, peppering his neck and shoulder with kisses. 

"I-I, it's the stupid… the _thing!_ It's the thing and I have to wear the _suit_ and the _people!_ Oh god, there's going to be so many _people_ and it's _tomorrow!_ " the last word came out as nearly a shriek and he was beginning to shake violently, gasping huge breaths of air between his words. 

"Woah, honey! It's okay! It's okay, it's okay, breathe sweetheart, you're going to pass out!" Tony tried to calm the younger man. James was clung so tightly to Tony's shoulders that his fingers were digging in painfully. "Baby, I'm here, I'm here," Tony cooed, rocking James harder, holding him tighter. 

"I promise, everything will be fine. I'll be there with you the whole time, and everyone else that will be there is there _for_ you! I promise it'll be okay," he said quietly.

James nodded and loosened his grip, pulling back slightly. 

"I'm sorry, I just have a little-"

"Anxiety?" Tony finished for him, smoothing his hands down James' arms. James sighed and nodded his head, scrubbing a hand across his face.

"Why don't you take a little break. Did you eat yet?" Tony asked, moving around him to right his chair from the floor.

"Not yet," James admitted, sitting when Tony motioned to the chair. 

"I brought you some cannoli and coffee but I'm not really sure you need the caffeine right now," Tony stated, standing behind the chair. James reached for the bag and peeked inside with a little smile. 

"You're so sweet honey," he smiled, looking back over his shoulder at Tony. Tony leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, breathing calm into his boy. When he broke the kiss, he gently eased the elastic band from James' hair, combing his fingers through to gently pull apart the snarls. He watched James take one of the pastries from the bag and take a small nibble, looking off at the green and white book on his desk absently. 

Tony quietly stroked all of James' dark hairs into submission, sliding some of the streaks of flour from the strands between his fingers when he could.

"You'll have to let me wash your hair for you tonight, baby," he murmured low next to his ear. James sighed contentedly and closed his eyes, leaning his head back slightly into Tony's touch. 

Tony could feel James' shaking subsiding, his breathing slowing. He pressed a quick kiss to his temple, then began threading his fingers through his hair to braid it down his back. He worked slowly and deliberately, grounding James into each touch and pull at his scalp, until he finally reached the end of the braid. When he was finished, he ran his fingertips up from his neck, into the back of his hair, stroking the sensitive spots there. 

"How do you feel now, baby?" Tony asked in a hushed tone, trying to keep James as relaxed as possible. James let out a little hum and smiled, eyes still closed. 

"Better," he whispered back, fully relaxed into his chair. Tony leaned forward and placed a wet, open mouthed kiss to James' throat, sliding his hands over his shoulders and down his chest, letting his fingertips graze and linger at the younger mans' nipples just a little as they slid over the sensitive spots. James breathed out a laugh and shifted his chest away from Tony's teasing fingers.

"Naughty daddy," James smiled, opening his eyes slowly to look at Tony's dark chocolate ones over his shoulder. Tony smiled and grazed his teeth lightly against the skin bared at the junction of shoulder and neck, then licked a tiny patch just under the sharp cut of James' jaw. 

"If you have time, I'd be glad to help you de-stress a little more," he stated coyly, walking his fingers lightly down James' stomach and toward the waist of his pants.

James' pupils grew large and he bit his plush lower lip between his teeth, regarding the older man. He quickly flicked his eyes to the clock on the wall and back to Tony, who was licking his lips suggestively.

"What do you have in mind?" James asked, fixing the older man with a dark smile. Tony smirked and moved in front of James, pushing his thighs farther apart to stand between them. 

"Something quick," he slowly dropped to his knees, the joints popping as he bent them. "A little dirty," he ran his hands over the front of James' pants, where his cock was beginning to harden and twitch in interest. "Sloppy, maybe," he continued, fixing James with a dark gaze of his own.

James' eyes couldn't decide where to focus, pupils dilated and heart beginning to speed in excitement, watching his older lover drop to this subservient position. He couldn't help the way his hips hitched up toward Tony in anticipation of the pleasure he knew he was about to receive. He swallowed hard. 

"We might have a little time for that," he responded in a low, husky voice. Tony smiled a laugh and reached to tug open James' belt roughly, pulling the button of his jeans open and sliding down the zipper. He reached his fingers inside of James' jeans and felt his fat hard cock throbbing there, gripping it firmly. 

Tony stopped and looked up at James, silently asking permission with his eyes. James had leaned forward in his eagerness and excitement and was breathing heavily from parted lips. Tony took that as all the permission he needed and pulled James' hard cock from his underwear and into the cool air of the office. A bead of precome already shone from the slit, slowly leaking down the side. 

"Mmm," Tony hummed, leaning forward and licking a broad stripe up to lap up the sticky fluid, drawing a loud hiss from James, before completely engulfing the younger mans' length in one go. James let out a little cry, choking it off halfway through and gripping Tony's hair tightly. 

Tony wasted no time, opening his throat and taking James as deep as he could, stroking the base with his hand eagerly. He slurped and hummed as he worked, eagerly swallowing all of James.

James was overwhelmed by pleasure, throwing his head back, mouth open around silent cries. He could feel the way he yanked at Tony's hair but couldn't bring himself to let go. His knees flew up to wrap around Tony's shoulders, pulling him harder onto his cock and forcing a few soft gags from the older man. 

"Fuck, you're so good at that, oh god, oh god, fuck Tony," James babbled, beginning to thrust his hips into the older man's throat. His gags became louder and more violent, but neither of them stopped or slowed down. 

"Daddy, this could- ngh- could be dangerous for you," James panted. Tony didn't break his rhythm but looked up at James with quizzical eyes. He decided to ignore what James had said, and he closed his eyes and resumed his humming. 

Moments later he heard James let out a loud, low growl above him. As if to illustrate his words, he gave a sharp thrust of his hips that had Tony gagging violently and pulling back for air. He fell backwards on his ass and a dazed look crossed his face, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Shit! I'm so sorry! Oh, Tony!" James cried, jumping to his feet. One hand began tucking away his hard length, and the other reached to help Tony up. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" he repeated again before Tony cut him off. 

"Baby, no!" He said weakly, taking James' hands and holding them still. "It's okay, I can still finish you," he stated, sitting back up onto his knees. James shook his head.

"Honey," he sighed. "I _hurt_ you, let's just-"

"You didn't hurt me!" Tony interjected. "I can take it. You can face fuck me. I just wasn't ready, that's all," Tony assured, reaching to pull James' hard length back out of his still undone pants. 

"Trust me, I can take a good pounding," he winked, wiping away a stray tear. "I know you have a habit of being rough, but I can take it," he repeated, stroking James with his hand. 

He took a deep breath and braced himself, releasing James' cock into the air and opening his mouth wide, tongue thrust out in invitation. He looked up at James with his dark eyes and waited. 

After a moment, James reached out and gently gripped the hair at the top of Tony's head, holding him firmly. 

"You're sure?" James asked warily. 

Tony just waggled his tongue, little smile playing on his lips as he waited. 

Slowly, James began to feed his cock to Tony, inch after inch gliding over Tony's tongue and into the sweet velvety heat of his throat. James didn't stop until Tony's nose brushed the dark hairs at the base of his cock, then he stopped and looked down at the man. 

Tony let out a moan and shifted his face back and forth a little, showing that he wasn't struggling. James pulled back a few inches, then pushed back in quickly, gauging Tony's reaction, before finally letting loose on Tony. 

He grabbed the back of Tony's head and thrust into him, his moans growing louder as the minutes passed. He pressed in tight to Tony's throat, stopping and shifting Tony's head side to side, much rougher than he'd done himself. Tony let out a little gag and James held him tightly through it, enjoying the feeling of the man's spasming throat around his cock, before pulling back again. 

He pulled almost completely out, until just the mushroom-shaped head remained between Tony's lips, and he allowed the man to catch his breath, his face red and streaked with tears. Once Tony's breathing had slowed, James gripped his hair tightly again and yanked his head forward, impaling him on his cock. He quickly began fucking into Tony again, feeling the ridged edges of Tony's teeth lightly grazing against his sensitive cock where his jaw was beginning to grow tired and sore. 

"If you bite me I'll have to punish you," he growled in a dark voice that Tony hadn't heard before. He ripped Tony off his cock completely and looked into his eyes as he gasped. 

"Yes sir," Tony choked out hoarsely, saying the first thing that came to his mind. He looked up at James' blue eyes and wiped drool from his chin with the back of his hand, tears streaming down his face. He could feel his own hard length straining and leaking in his pants and realized that there wasn't much he wouldn't do for James, including take a punishment. He quickly opened his mouth again, signalling that he was ready to be a good boy, and James pushed over his lips again, painfully slowly. 

"You like daddy's big cock?" James asked quietly. Tony nodded and moaned his approval, not taking his eyes from James' beautiful blues. 

"You gonna make daddy's cock come? You gonna swallow it?" Tony nodded vigorously, pulling at James fingers in his hair to bob shallowly on his cock. 

"Greedy boy," James smirked. He slammed into Tony's throat again and abandoned all control, chasing his own pleasure roughly. Tony closed his eyes and braced himself, just along for the ride. James shifted his angle slightly, pushing the head of his cock into Tony's cheek and holding it there, slapping Tony's face lightly where the head poked out, before forcing back into his throat.

Finally, Tony felt James' cock pulsing and throbbing deep in his throat and could hear James letting out low whines as he finally began to come.

"Swallow it," James commanded in a breathless voice as his cock spurted into Tony's throat. "Or you'll be licking my come off the floor."

Tony felt his own cock splash precome at James' harsh words, and he obediently swallowed down every drop, not letting anything go to waste. 

Finally, James released him, panting. He quickly tucked himself into his underwear, pulling his pants closed and flopping tiredly into his chair. He motioned his fingers for Tony to come closer and Tony obeyed, crawling between James' legs and resting his head on his strong thigh like a good kitten. James stroked his hair and smiled down at him.

"Such a good boy," he cooed as he caught his breath. Tony grinned and fawned at James' praise, and in the back of his mind he wondered when their relationship had taken such a dominant and submissive dynamic. It scared him a little that it could turn out the way Peter and his relationship had, but he was willing to play this game. He liked being the one to submit sometimes too, and James was way better at taking control than Tony would have guessed. 

"That was wonderful, Tony," James sighed, leaning down toward Tony's face. Tony eagerly lifted his head and kissed James, letting the man taste himself on his tongue. "I'll take care of you tonight," James promised, reaching between them and gently stroking Tony's hard cock through his pants. "right now, Daddy has to get back to work," he sighed, releasing Tony from his grip. 

He leaned forward and kissed Tony sweetly, smiling into his lips. Before he pulled back, Tony could feel James' lips moving against his, just barely catching the whisper falling from his lips. 

"I love you Tony," the man sighed in a voice quiet enough that he thought Tony hadn't heard it. Tony smiled, blushing, and kissed James again, all tongue and passion. 

Finally they broke apart, James standing and helping Tony up off his knees before walking him to the door of the office. Tony reached for the door knob and looked at James with wide eyes. 

"We never locked the door," he squeaked in embarrassment. James let out a chuckle.

"Well, whether anyone walked in on us or not, I don't know, but they probably definitely heard us," he said with a mischievous grin. "Walls are pretty thin."

Tony's face flushed crimson and he ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it down so it hopefully looked less like sex hair, before finally turning the knob and opening the door. 

He stepped out into the kitchen and it was mostly empty, save for one person running dishes through the washer on the opposite side of the room. He breathed a little sigh of relief and turned back to James. 

"Hey Tony? Thanks for bringing me treats today," he winked, and Tony couldn't help but grin. "I really appreciate them."

"I'll see you tonight, babe," he replied, turning to leave the kitchen. 

When he stepped out to the front, he caught Marina's eye and she smirked at him, crossing over to where he was standing. 

"Now that's what I call 'good spirits', baby" she chuckled. Tony flushed again and a sheepish grin crossed his face. 

"I would say he's going to be singing your praises, but hell, you already had him singing in there, didn't you?" She laughed in a hushed tone. Tony was thankful that no one else was in earshot. 

"Hey, he's smiling now," Tony responded cheekily. Marina laughed. 

"Do me a favor and make sure he eats something, will you please?" Tony asked of her. 

"Of course, baby, I'll make sure he gets something _else_ in him," she chuckled. Tony flushed and groaned, shaking his head. He waved goodbye and left the diner, deciding to hit a few stores before he made it home. 

***********************

He'd decided to stop in a few dresswear stores, picking a few suits and pieces that he thought would look good on James. Even if he didn't wear any of them, at least he'd have the options. Tony recalled the way he'd said "I have to wear the _suit!_ " and assumed that meant he only had one. He also grabbed himself a new suit while he was at it. In his haste to leave with a bag from… _his old home_ , he'd left his good suits. He didn't feel like going back for them at the moment either. 

When he got home, he kicked off his expensive Italian shoes and took the bag full of his winnings for the day into the bedroom to set it on the duvet. He then headed back to the kitchen to begin making dinner for both him and James. 

A quick glance at the clock said he should be home within the half hour, and Tony wanted to be sure to make something delicious for the man after his hectic day. He searched through the shelves and cupboards and decided to make stuffed shells, his mother's recipe. 

By the time James came home, Tony was nearly done filling all of the pasta shells with a cheese mixture and was getting ready to sauce them and put them in the oven.

"Welcome home, gorgeous!" Tony greeted as James stepped through the door. James stopped at the sight of Tony in the kitchen and just smiled, watching him finish what he was doing.

"How was the rest of your day?" Tony asked, drizzling a little Alfredo sauce over the shells and sliding them into the oven.

James just smiled at Tony and set his keys on the counter, walking over to where the older man stood. He reached up and took Tony's face gently in his hands, kissing him softly but insistently. James' hips swayed toward Tony a few times before he pulled back, panting. 

"I couldn't stop thinking about you today after you left. I've been so excited to return the favor," he whispered into Tony's lips. Tony smiled sheepishly and blushed, turning his head away slightly. 

"Look at me doll, I've been waiting all day to see you," James urged, commanding yet pleading. Tony obeyed and met James' clear ocean colored eyes, soaking in the warmth radiating from them. 

"My day was so much better after you came, thank you so much, love," James said softly. "And I really appreciate you making sure I ate too, I didn't realize how hungry I was," he answered honestly. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He kissed Tony again, more insistently than the last time.

"Why don't you go ahead and get to the bedroom. I'm so excited to make you feel as good as you made me feel," James practically purred to Tony.

"You don't have to right now, I mean… it could wait until later," Tony replied bashfully. Truthfully, he'd been pretty turned on the whole day thinking about their fun in the office, it didn't take anything at all for him to get hard in his pants at James' words. 

James reached between them and gripped Tony's hard cock through his pants, stroking and squeezing gently, pulling a pleasurable moan from the older man. He took a step closer, spreading his own legs to minimize the space between them, and Tony could feel his erection pressing into his stomach. He wrapped his free hand around Tony's shoulders, pulling him in close more roughly than was strictly necessary, and leaned his lips close to Tony's ear.

"Daddy wants to play," he growled low and dark, sending shudders through Tony. "Why don't you go ahead and get to the bedroom," he repeated, less of a question and more of a command.

Tony let out a trembling breath and nodded his agreement, stumbling off balance when James unexpectedly let go. Tony hurried to comply, turning and rushing quickly down the hallway to the bedroom. His stomach was rolling in knots, nerves and anticipation coursing through his veins.

He couldn't deny that the man's newfound position of command was sexy, turning him on like no other, but it made him nervous too. What if he wasn't just playing? What if he'd just been hiding his more disciplinary side behind a faux sweetness? What if-

"Take your clothes off," he heard James' quiet voice behind him seconds before he felt his hands sliding under his shirt, tugging it over his head almost too roughly. 

Tony let out a little sound of surprise and felt himself being spun around, James' hot mouth latching onto a sensitive nipple. He cried out at the unexpected feeling and James moaned, grazing his teeth against the little nub of skin.

He pulled off with a soft pop and attached his mouth firmly to Tony's throat, sucking a mark there. 

Tony cried out, hoarse and strangled, hands flashing up to thread his fingers into James' braid, firmly pulling. James loosed a snarl and bit down harder, enough to make Tony wince audibly. 

"Red light! Red light!" Tony yelped, still pulling at James' hair. The younger man immediately loosed his jaw, letting go of Tony and stepping backward with his hands held in the air. Tony released his grip and took his own small step back, bumping the edge of the bed.

I'm sorry! I'm sorry, it's-"

"Too much, it was too much," James interrupted, finishing his sentence. He sighed and scrubbed a large hand over his hair, pulling back the loose tendrils that had fallen around his face.

Tony could see the frustration on James' face and felt his heart being strangled by anxiety. He wrung his hands together nervously and his breathing sped up.

"It's okay, please don't be scared of me, doll baby. This was my fault," James stated in exasperation. "I just-" he let out a huge sigh. "I'm just too much. I'm too much for my own good, let alone _yours_. This is why people don't stay with me. Nobody can handle me, I'm just… too much" James rambled miserably. 

Tony could see how hard the man was through his pants, pressing tight, dark wet spot growing through his jeans, and it made him feel guilty. 

"Wait, I-I'm sorry, I'll-you can have me if you want," Tony said in a small voice.

"No, I am way too much right now. I shouldn't have gotten all worked up today," he sighed and brought his hand up to stroke Tony's cheek. Tony reflexively flinched backward, falling into a sitting position on the bed. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he'd done. 

James' face fell and he shook his head, mirthless laugh falling from his lips. 

"I'm going to take a quick shower and calm down, okay?" He said, voice thick with sadness. He didn't wait for a response, just walked quickly into the bathroom that adjoined the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Tony heard the lock click and he'd never felt more guilty.

******************

Tony sat at the kitchen table, waiting the last few minutes for the dish of stuffed shells to finish cooking and listening to the sounds of James shuffling around in the bedroom, getting dressed. A few mumbled curses emanated from the bedroom and Tony could tell that James wasn't in much better of a mood. He gripped his glass of wine, draining most of it in one gulp, then reached for the bottle that rested on the table, refilling his own glass, as well as filling one for James. 

Finally, he heard James walking down the hallway, grumbling as he went, and looked to see the man's expression, hoping to read what he could from it. 

He had a comb in his hands, fighting through a huge tangle of his hair. It seemed that was what he was cursing about, and Tony felt a little more relieved. 

"Fuck, I'm just going to cut it off, fuck it," he grumbled, dropping the comb on the table near Tony and gripping the huge snarl in his hands, trying to just rip it apart with sheer force.

"Honey-Jesus, don't do that!" Tony exclaimed, jumping from his seat and gripping James' wrists before he could hurt himself. 

James looked at Tony in surprise and Tony could see a few tears glistening in them. It wasn't about the hair and Tony knew it. 

"It's okay honey, I can help you. Let me help," Tony said softly, waiting for the younger man's response before doing anything. James paused for a moment, peering at Tony, before he finally nodded his head, turning his gaze down to the table and dropping his hands. 

"Why don't you sit and have a little wine and I'll get this out for you," Tony instructed, guiding the younger man into the open chair across from where he'd just sat. James let himself be guided, but didn't reach for the wine, much to Tony's surprise. He reached for the comb and knelt beside James, taking the ends of his damp hair and gently beginning to work the knots loose. 

Tony was pleased when the knots slid free easily and he worked his fingers through it gently before grabbing another strand and beginning to work it. 

"You just have to be gentle. You can't force it," Tony said quietly, focused on his task. James chuckled and turned to look at Tony. 

"Yeah, that's my biggest problem in life," he said, trying to make a joke of it but failing. Tony flushed when he realized that what he'd said could clearly be used as a double entendre.

"I didn't... I didn't mean-"

"No, it's okay. You're right. I can't control myself. I get so angry so quickly," he turned to look Tony in the eyes. "I'm so sorry that I scared you. And that I..." He trailed off, flicking his eyes down to Tony's throat, where it was bruised dark and contused. He swallowed and looked back up at Tony's eyes. "I'm sorry that I hurt you," he finally finished, turning away. 

Tony sighed and went back to combing through James' hair. He wasn't really sure what to say in reply to that, so he stayed silent. 

"I… I don't blame you if you want to leave. Everyone leaves me. It's my own fault," James said, almost in a whisper. His hand opened and clenched tight on the table, unsure of what to do with himself while he waited for a response from Tony. 

Tony finally worked the last knot free from James' hair and ran the comb through from root to tip with a pleased look on his face, then he set the comb aside on the table. 

He reached up and took James' chin in his hand, turning his face toward himself. He leaned forward and kissed James deeply, happy when the younger man offered no resistance. He wrapped his free hand around James' waist, holding him tight. When he finally broke the kiss, he leaned his forehead against James' and closed his eyes with a little sigh. 

"You _did_ hurt me," Tony stated quietly, thinking over his words carefully before he said them. "You scared me. You made me nervous. But… it wasn't malicious, was it? Were you _trying_ to hurt me?" He asked, curious to know the truth. 

James quickly shook his head. "No, no I would never hurt you intentionally!" He cried, eager for the chance that Tony was giving him. "I just… I get so in the moment, you know? And it's, it's like a reaction for me, I wanna… _bite_ … and squeeze and… control… _dominate_ …" he trailed off, his voice growing darker with each word, breathing growing heavy. Tony felt James' hand snake up to his ribs slowly, gripping tightly, fingers curling up and scraping against his skin painfully as he tangled his fingers into Tony's shirt. His other hand laced into the hair at the back of his head, slowly tightening and pulling his head back. 

Tony gasped and watched James' face carefully. His blue eyes were almost fully closed, pupils dilated huge, and his lips were beginning to part, baring the tips of his sharp teeth again as he pulled Tony's head back, exposing his throat once again. 

"Baby!" Tony cried, realizing where James was headed before he could sink his teeth in. James gasped, eyes flying open and throwing his hands up into the air in a classic surrender motion.

"Jesus, I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed, face showing pure panic. He pushed his chair back and stood quickly, stepping away from Tony.

"Please, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"I-it's okay, it's okay… I think I get it," Tony responded, standing and reaching for his glass of wine with a shaky hand. He took a gulp and set the glass back down. 

"You're a sadist," Tony stated, looking James in his wide cerulean eyes.

"I-I didn't mean, n-no! I…" James' chest heaved with heavy breaths, trying to find some way to refute what Tony had said. 

"No, honey, you are. You're… _primal_ … you're… like a hunter. Like I'm your prey," Tony worked out for both of them. James looked like he was on the verge of tears and Tony took a tentative step closer to him. 

"It… doesn't make you bad… it's just your… love style. Your sex signature, I guess," Tony said, reaching out to touch James' wrist lightly. "But… you like it when I'm rough with you too?" He asked curiously. James looked away and nodded slightly. 

Just then, the timer on the oven went off signaling that dinner was ready. 

"Why don't we eat and… maybe talk about things? If you want to?" Tony suggested. James nodded thankfully and took a deep breath, thankful that Tony wasn't just going to run. He ground the tears from his eyes with the palm of his hands and nodded again, sighing a breath of relief. 

"Thank you, Tony," James said quietly, over his shoulder as Tony walked to the oven. Tony grabbed a pair of pot holders that hung from the wall above the stove and reached to pull out the pan, a strong smell of cheese and garlic wafting into the air as he did. 

"We're a team. I _want_ to be a team. I'm willing to stick through this, all of this _stuff. Your_ stuff, because you're here for mine. That's how it works, right?" Tony replied, setting the pan on top of the oven. He took the oven mitts off and turned over his shoulder to look at James.

The younger man was smiling appreciatively at Tony, holding his hands on his elbows across his chest, like he were hugging himself. Tony turned and crossed the few steps to James, wrapping him in his arms tightly, confidently. 

"You know, I can _handle_ a rough scene. Aggressive, maybe a little painful. But, it's a lot easier for me to handle it if I'm mentally prepared for it," Tony informed James. "You have to give me a little warning. I'm sure that would be easier if you understood it better yourself."

Tony plated up a few shells for each of them, refreshing their wine glasses and making sure James was comfortable before he sat down across from the man. They ate in a comfortable silence, stealing glances at each other and smiling into their glasses. They didn't end up talking about much, just thinking over what they'd learned about each other.

When they'd finished, James helped Tony clean up and put away the leftovers, enjoying the little touches and soft kisses that Tony kept giving him, delighting in the fact that Tony still wanted to be near him at all. 

They decided to retire early, both of them exhausted from a long, physically and mentally draining day, and James discovered the bag of suits on the bed while Tony was brushing his teeth. He peeked in and poked around at the silks and linens in the bag. 

"What's this, babe?" James asked when Tony reemerged from the bathroom.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Tony exclaimed happily, reaching inside the bag to begin pulling things out.

"I was just guessing at your size, but I'm pretty sure I got it right," he told the younger man, setting the suits and pieces together on the bed so that James could see them. All in all, there were three suits, one light gray, one black and one navy blue, plus ties and bow ties to go along with them. 

"Wait a minute, you got these for me?" James asked incredulously, jaw dropping in disbelief.

"Yeah honey, I heard the way you were talking about your "suit"? Only one I'm guessing? So, I thought you might like-" Tony was cut off when James pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing him close. Tony felt his chest tremble, trying to hold back tears, but a moment later he felt the hot drops falling onto his shoulder. 

"Babe, you don't have to cry, if you don't like them I can take them back!" Tony reassured, confused by James' reaction. 

"No honey, I love them. I love them so much," James whispered tearfully. "I can't believe you did that for me," he pulled back and kissed Tony sweetly. "Thank you so much, love."

Tony smiled, feeling his chest swell with pride. He'd thought he was doing just a small favor for the man, not realizing it was going to affect him so deeply. 

"Alright baby, let's get you in bed. You have a big day tomorrow," Tony said in a fatherly way. James nodded with a smile and helped Tony put the suits into the closet, then they climbed under the covers into their big bed. James wrapped himself around Tony and held him close through the night, grateful for everything the man gave to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are we thinking? Getting bored? Any suggestions or comments at all? I'm excited to start the next chapter at the awards ceremony thing! Drama! It's a thing I know, I swear!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The CerEmOnY *dun dun dun*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's maybe not as dramatic as it could be but I suppose I never claimed to be a good writer, just a writer.

James and Tony had showered together the next day, once it started getting closer to the time of the ceremony. Tony insisted on conditioner.

"Yes, honey, you _absolutely do_ need it," Tony insisted, slathering some of the cream into his hair. James laughed and rolled his eyes.

"I think you like my hair more than I do," he chuckled, patiently letting the older man comb it through his locks.

"You may have mentioned that," Tony replied fondly. "And I'd be very sad if you decided to cut it."

He finished combing through James' hair with his fingers and motioned to the younger that he could rinse. The ceremony was to begin at six, so they only had a few hours left to finish getting ready.

They were both drying off in their bedroom, Tony thinking about which suit he should wear.

"Which one are you wearing?" He asked James.

"I hadn't really decided yet," James responded, towelling his hair dry.

"How are you wearing your hair?" Tony asked.

"Uh, I really don't know, maybe you could braid it for me again?" He suggested.

"Nah, that's a work look, too casual," he mused, pulling on a pair of black dress pants and looping his matte black belt through the loops. He walked past James to the closet to pull out a shirt and as he did, the younger playfully slapped his ass.

"I'll show you my work look," he said playfully with a wink, drawing a laugh from Tony. He quickly decided on his black dress shirt and a black tie that wasn't quite skinny but certainly not a standard size. He decided to pair the look with his black leather jacket. He knew the all black look would make him look classy enough without overshadowing James' look, whichever he decided on.

When Tony emerged from the closet, James already pulled on a pair of bright red boxer briefs and was dabbing a little cologne at the hollow of his throat in a mirror on the opposite side of the room.

"Nice shorts," Tony said teasingly, admiring the younger man's ass. James looked into the mirror at Tony and his eyes popped open wide.

"Woah, _hello there_ goth daddy," he smirked, spinning around to face Tony. "You look like I'm about to get spanked," he winked again.

"Not right now," Tony laughed. "You have to get dressed! Gotta decide what you're wearing and figure out your hair. I'll make us some tea," he said with a smile, heading toward the kitchen.

"Oh alright, _daaad_ ," he stressed the last word teasingly.

Tony wanted to make sure that James had enough time to calm his nerves before they had to leave, knowing that he'd be getting anxious soon. He pulled a couple small containers from a cupboard and took some dried leaves from each tucking them into some mesh tea balls. He figured they must have come from James' own garden, they were so fresh and fragrant.

He heated water quickly in a kettle on the stove and poured it over the balls into the cups, turning toward the fridge for a splash of lemon juice, before finishing it off with a spoonful of sugar in each cup.

"What'd you pick?" He heard James' quiet voice a moment later, emerging from the hallway.

"Peppermint and chamomile with a splash of lemon," he replied, turning around to look at the younger man behind him.

"Nice choice,"  
" _Nice choice,_ "

They said in unison, Tony eyeing James from toe to tip.

"Like it?" James asked sheepishly, tugging at the sleeve of his shirt.

"I-I, yes, I-I love it!" Tony said, huge grin spreading across his face. "You look _amazing_."

James grinned and blushed, sticking his hands in his pockets awkwardly.

"Really think so?"

"Yeah babe, you're lucky we're on a time schedule. All wrapped up like a present," he said, only half joking.

He'd chosen the light gray suit with a shirt of his own tucked into his suit pants, underneath a matching vest. He hadn't put on the jacket yet, but he held it in his fingers and stood in a way that made him look like a model in a magazine.

"Jesus, how did I get so lucky?" Tony mused under his breath.

James' grey vest fit snugly across his taut stomach and broad shoulders, and the pants were fitted and skinny, making his strong legs look extra long. The shirt he'd chosen to wear underneath was crisp and white with a large blue flower print that mirrored his eyes and made them pop. He truly looked stunning.

Tony realized he'd been staring and turned to grab for the mugs of tea on the counter, walking to hand one to James.

The younger man met him before he could make it past the counter and gratefully accepted the hot tea.

"Will you… would you mind helping me with.." he trailed off, pointing to his hair and shuffling his feet a little sheepishly. Tony grinned and sipped his tea.

"I would love to."

******************

A while later, James was pacing the length of the kitchen, looking out the windows like a forlorn puppy. He'd finished his tea and wasn't sure what to do with himself. He glanced at the analog clock that hung on the wall in the living room. Still a little over an hour to go.

"Babe, why don't we go early?" Tony suggested, watching James make the same lap again for the twenty third time in a row.

"It's, it's _too_ early, they'll think-"

"It doesn't matter what they think," Tony interrupted in a calm voice. "Do you usually take anything for your anxiety?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I have uh… my, m-my, um, m-m-my-" he stopped, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, forcing himself to stop pacing. "I should take my pill," he finally finished, rushing to the bathroom to get his medication.

Tony was glad that he had something to calm his nerves, the night had the potential to be a disaster otherwise, but he was determined to keep James feeling confident regardless.

The younger man returned a moment later and sat at the table next to Tony, jiggling his leg.

"I hate these," he admitted, looking into his empty and discarded tea cup.

"The cups?" Tony asked in confusion.

"No, the _things_ , the public stuff. I hate being in crowds like that," he confessed. Tony leaned over to him and kissed his forehead.

"It's just one night, and it's in your honor. You've done an amazing job with your diner, and you deserve some recognition for your hard work," Tony reassured the younger man, hearing him exhale a sigh and noting his fidgeting slowing down.

"You look incredible," Tony continued. "And you'll be with me. You could just pretend it's a date," he smiled, kissing him again.

James smiled and turned to look at Tony, dreamy look in his eyes.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He murmured, seeming to be calming down.

"Feeling better?" Tony asked.

"A little," James conceded with another deep breath.

"Good. Ready to get going soon?"

"Ready."

******************

Tony hadn't been to a public event in a while, actually enjoying them when they happened. He understood exactly how James felt, but he didn't share the feeling. He was excited to do something fun, something he knew. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited to show off the beautiful man on his arm, too. He couldn't wait to see the looks on people's faces when he got to tell them who he'd come with.

He walked around to the passenger side of his car and opened the door for James, helping him out and straightening his jacket for him.

"Is my hair still okay?" James asked nervously, tugging at his sleeves. Tony had decided on pulling up the top half of his hair into an ornate bun that resembled a flower. Simple yet elegant and not too feminine.

"You look perfect," Tony assured, lacing his fingers with James' and kissing his knuckles. He gently gave his hand a tug, leading him toward the building. It was a decent sized building, red brick and ornate glass windows.

When they stepped through the doors, they entered into a white and gold lobby. All of the details were shiny metallic, and the desk was made of dark mahogany. A man at the desk gestured them down a hallway where they could hear soft music playing and a few people chatting.

Tony felt James' steps hesitate as they got closer and he slowed his own pace to make him feel more comfortable.

"It's just a few hours, we can go as soon as they say your name," Tony assured in a hushed tone. James nodded and tightened his grip on Tony's hand.

When they entered the room, it was a lot like a banquet hall. Round tables with cards on them were placed spaciously around the perimeter of a large dance floor and there was a band playing toward the front of the room. A few people were already there, mingling and snacking on hor d'oeuvres and Tony semi-recognized some of them from the diner. He was glad there were at least a few friendly faces, though he knew the event was open to the public. There was still around a half hour before anything was actually going to begin.

Tony noticed a small cherry wood bar at the back of the room and decided he'd get James a drink if he started having a rough time again.

"I found us," James announced, motioning toward a table that held place settings with their names on them. It wasn't too close to the small stage in the room and it wasn't too far away either. Tony wondered who the other people were going to be when he noticed the rest of the placards.

"This isn't so bad," James stated quietly as he looked around the room. Tony chuckled a little to himself when he saw how tightly James was gripping the back of his chair between his fingers.

People were starting to file slowly in, everyone dressed in their best. Although, Tony didn't think anyone looked better than James. He smiled and fondly reached over to brush James' hair behind his ear with his fingertips, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"You're doing great sweetheart," he whispered into his ear.

"Hey, boss man!" They heard coming from the doorway. They both turned to look and a huge grin broke out of James' face.

"Marina!" He exclaimed excitedly, moving to greet her with a hug. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Damn, you look fantastic!" She exclaimed, taking in his appearance.

"Thanks, Ree," James said, looking down at himself again, adjusting his waistcoat. "Tony got this suit for me," he stated proudly.

"Oh honey, you were about ten years overdue for a new one," she said with a smirk, setting her purse at a chair beside James. Tony looked at the placards again. Of course, it was for the rest of the crew at the diner. He saw his own name across the table from James' and quickly switched a couple cards so that they could sit together.

"I'll be back, I'm going to get a drink at the bar," Marina stated, giving James' arm a gentle pat. The room was becoming more and more full, the buzzing sounds of people's quiet conversations and laughter growing louder around them.

"You want a drink honey?" Tony leaned in close and felt James lean in too, until their shoulders were touching. Tony knew he was taking small comforts in their touches.

"Please," James answered, looking around him again. "Something strong?" He asked. Tony breathed a laugh and nodded his head.

"Sure thing honey, I'll be right back."

"I'm going to step outside really quick, I just need some air," James said, nodding toward a door on the far side of the room that lead out to a little courtyard, most likely for smoking.

"Alright, just don't be too long, the ceremony should be starting soon," Tony informed him, leaning in to kiss his cheek again. James turned at the last moment and stole the kiss with a tiny smile, then turned and headed for the door.

"I'll be right back," he assured over his shoulder. Tony watched him get about halfway through the crowd before turning toward the bar.

James waded through the crowd of people, not bothering to look at faces. His only goal was to make it to the door. He was nearly there when he felt someone grab at his arm.

"You look good," the person, a man, said. James threw a quick thank you over his shoulder and politely pulled his arm away to keep going. Probably a customer, he thought as he made his way over.

"Going outside?" The voice called, a step behind him.

"Yeah, just need some air," James said, pulling the door open and stepping through.

"I'll join you," the voice continued, walking a step behind James.

James sighed quietly but continued out to the courtyard, noticing a small bench beside a little fountain. There were plants and flowers all over the place, and from the courtyard, you could barely see back into the banquet hall through the small window. It was mostly blocked by vines and roses. He sat at the bench, completely focused on watching the water ripple in the fountain when the person that had followed him stepped in front of him, completely blocking his view with his soft black suit.

James was surprised a little, and finally looked up, taking in how the legs of this man's pants were loose, heading to a fitted, high waistband on a tiny waist. The suit jacket sat just above in a cropped cut, exposing toned and tanned midriff just slightly. When James' eyes met the man's face, his heart stopped, leaping into his throat and his eyes grew wide. His blood grew icy in his veins. He quickly glanced around, finally noticing that they were the only two outside.

"What… what're you-"

"Doing here? Bucky baby, it's a public event. Announced in the newspaper. I saw your name and I just knew I had to come see you," he said, smirking down at James.

James felt his breathing speeding up, heart racing in seconds and he glanced toward the door, making to stand. The man placed his hands on James' shoulders, pushing him back down roughly, at the same moment lifting his knees onto the bench and straddling James' waist.

"What's the rush? Don't you wanna catch up? I haven't seen you in so long," the man purred in a pretty voice, leaning forward and pressing a feather light kiss to James' temple. "Although, last time I saw you, you didn't have this _sexy_ beard. All this hair though, I'm not sure it's your look."

"Ravus!" James gasped, feeling tears welling in his eyes and hopelessness welling in his chest.

<https://www.instagram.com/p/BrqBuGOFPZI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link>

"Awe, so you _do_ remember me!" Ravus smiled, lowering his hips so that he was sitting in James' lap now.

James' hands flashed out and gripped Ravus' hips, trying to push him off his lap. His thumbs grazed against the man's warm skin where it was exposed and it brought back memories of intimacy and anger. He was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Don't be so mean, little boy, I've just missed you so," Ravus cooed into James' ear, holding his position firmly and feigning a pout. James felt a shock of terror at the nickname, long since forgotten.

"Don't call me that," he surprised even himself, giving Ravus' hips another rough shove, knocking the man off his balance.

"Jesus, boy, you're still so mean," Ravus stated, though a smile still played on his lips. "I thought maybe you might wanna catch up. Maybe mess around a little? I know you've been alone for a long time now. Nothing as good as me, huh?" Ravus laughed into James' ear, grinding his hips a little into James'.

James gasped and flinched away from the man, turning his head away.

"I'm not alone!" He yelped, sounding a little too desperate even to his own ears. "I'm here with my boyfriend!" He breathed, trying to force Ravus off his lap again. "And I'm not mean, I'm different now."

"Boyfriend?" Ravus scoffed a laugh. "No one's ever going to love you the way I did. I still do, little boy. Still could."

James felt a familiar anger swelling up in his stomach, fingers tightening on Ravus' hips and he shoved the man again, holding nothing back. Ravus flew onto the hard ground with a thud and James flew to his feet, fists curled tightly in rage at his sides.

Ravus smiled a demented smile and quickly rose to his knees, gripping James' waist with scraped palms.

"Such an angry boy," he taunted. "Hit me, you know you want to," he laughed at James' angry frustration. "Right here in front of all these people," he pressed. "Show them who you _really_ are."

****************

"Where'd he go?" Marina asked Tony, sipping at her gin and tonic.

"I don't know, he said he needed some air but he hasn't been back yet. He's probably still outside," Tony informed her, looking over toward the little window by the door that lead outdoors. It was mostly obscured by plants from the outside, but Tony could just barely make out some movement from out there. "I'll go get him, it's about to start," Tony told her, standing and walking toward the door. Most of the people in the banquet hall had found their seating and were waiting for the ceremony to begin.

**************

"C'mon boy, show me who you really are," Ravus antagonized, shaking James by the hips.

"Stop it!" James yelled, trying to disentangle himself from Ravus' skinny fingers. Ravus just laughed manically.

"Come on! You know you've missed me! You've missed the war."

"No! I'm not that person anymore, I'm not angry any more!" James cried, feeling desperately hopeless.

Just then, the door clicked open and Ravus quickly released James as they both turned to look.

"Honey?" Tony called softly, freezing when he saw the two men and the positions they were in, strange man on his knees before James, both with wide eyes at being caught. The door latched shut behind him and he stood paralyzed.

"Tony!" James cried, quickly stepping over Ravus and rushing into Tony's arms, pressing a hard kiss to his lips. Tony didn't hold him back quite as tightly, watching the man that knelt on the ground pulling himself to his feet.

The man was tall, taller than James but not as tall as himself, and he had soft looking brown curls and deep rich chocolate brown eyes that were subtly lined in black kohl to emphasize already thick, long lashes. His skin was a tan olive color and he had a delicate looking, pretty face with high cheekbones. He reminded Tony of an older Peter.

"Who the hell is this?" Tony asked quietly, not masking the suspicion in his voice very well. "What are you two doing together?" He asked.

"Let's just go in, please, let's go inside!" James pleaded, tugging on Tony's lapels. "I promise I'll tell you everything but _please_ can we go in?"

"Alright, alright, calm down sweetheart," Tony reassured, seeing how distraught James was. He reached behind him and pushed the door back opened, leading James in while keeping a suspicious eye on the other man. He wore a strange smirk on his face and he watched Tony in return.

As soon as they were back in the building, James practically ran to their table, Tony rushing to follow behind.

"Honey, calm down!" Tony urged, whizzing past people that sat chatting in their seats.

"Baby, I'm sorry but I have to ask-" Tony began, reaching for James' arm, catching up to him as they reached their table. James spun suddenly and Tony had to careen to a stop to avoid colliding with him. He gripped Tony's forearms a little too tightly and looked at him with huge eyes. His pupils were dilated so big that they almost swallowed the cerulean of his irises.

"Baby, don't take this the wrong way, but I have to know," Tony said again, worry in his voice. "Did you and him- were you and him-"

"It's _him!_ " James hissed into Tony's ear, cutting him off.

"Him? Who him?" Tony asked

"Ravus! He's here! He-"

"Oh jesus, okay, it's okay" Tony reassured him, pulling him onto a tight embrace. James' reaction made sense now.

"Everything okay?" Marina asked, standing from her chair and placing a hand on James' shoulders comfortingly.

Tony turned, finally noticing their proximity to the table. The staff that had showed up for the night were all sitting at the table and they all had shocked eyes on James. They'd probably never seen him this way before.

"Uh, yeah, he's just having some last minute jitters, you know, crowds," Tony gestured vaguely to the room. "We're going to head to the bathroom, we'll be right back," he assured her, silently appreciating her concern.

"Better make it quick, boys!"

Tony gave James a gentle nudge and got him moving back toward the long hallway they'd come down, knowing he'd spotted a restroom there. He steered the man into the dimly lit room and immediately wrapped his arms tightly around him.

Tony could hear an announcement being made through the large banquet room and knew they were about to start the official ceremony.

"Babe, did he hurt you?" Tony asked, pulling James back a little so that he could see his face. His bright eyes were rimmed with pink, fat hot tears rolling down his cheeks.

"N-no, he, he…" James couldn't finish what he was saying, beginning to hiccup through his sobs. Tony gripped him tight again and tried to decide what to do.

"Baby, they're going to start announcing people very soon. Are we staying or are we going home?" He asked gently, not wanting to decide on James' behalf.

"I, I…."

"You've worked hard for this. You've got me here with you, and Marina and Jason and… the rest of them. We're all here for you. Do we stay?"

James took a deep breath and wiped his face, shaking his hands out as if he were shaking off nerves. He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply through his nose a few times.

Tony ran his hands gently down the front of James' suit jacket.

"You look amazing. You _are_ amazing. Forget that scrawny shit. You're in a much better place now," Tony leaned closer to James and nosed at his ear gently. "I.…" He took a deep breath and rested his forehead on James' temple.

He could do it. He could say it. James had said it twice already. Tony mustered up his courage and shut off his mind.

"I love you, James Buchanan Barnes," he whispered, vulnerability clear in his voice.

James' eyes opened slowly, and his jaw dropped a little. He slowly turned and looked at Tony with surprise written all over his face. His breathing picked up just slightly and he took a nervous step backward.

Tony felt an icy jolt of fear run through his heart. Was he wrong to say it? Had James not meant it when _he'd_ said it? Was it just the wrong time? Had he seriously fucked up his first time saying it?

Tony took a tentative step backward and began floundering, trying to think of anything he could say that would take back what he'd already said.

Before his brain could come online again, James took a step forward, gripping Tony's jaw firmly but gently and pressed his lips against Tony's, eagerly forcing Tony's jaw wide and thrusting his tongue inside, exploring as if he never had before. In moments they were both panting, unwilling to break their connection, fervent and amorous.

When James finally did break the kiss, he pulled back with a huge grin on his face and his cheeks flushed pink. Tony would have hardly known the terror on his face just minutes before.

"Say it again?" James whispered in a thick, lust filled voice. Tony's face grew into a smile he couldn't contain and he acquiesced to James' request.

He slid his hands around James' waist and pulled him close, smile on his face as he repeated more confidently, "I love you, James. I'm here for you. I want to be the one that's here for you."

James dropped his head to Tony's shoulder and let out a sound that was partially a laugh and partially a sob, before he looked back into Tony's eyes.

"Fuck him," he said, confidence growing by the minute. Tony let out a loud, deep laugh that echoed in the small bathroom and kissed his forehead again.

"Let's get back out there, huh? Show that little weasel what he missed out on?" Tony suggested. James couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he nodded his agreement. Tony took James' hand and lead him gently back to their places at the table.

Their drinks, abandoned in the chaos of the night, still sat on the table waiting. Tony reached and grabbed two shots of amber liquid, handing one to James.

"To the future," he said, raising the small glass cup. James grinned goofily and clinked his shot glass against Tony's.

"The future," he repeated. They both shot back the liquid, then James grabbed Tony by his lapels, pulling him in for another kiss.

"Hey, lover boys, I don't mean to interrupt but our announcement is coming up!" Marina stage whispered to them. They both chuckled quietly and pulled out their chairs to sit down.

The room had quieted immensely and the lights had dimmed. From what Tony could tell, a few awards had already been given. He glanced toward the opposite side of the room and found Ravus almost immediately, scowling in their direction over a drink from where he sat. Tony couldn't help but smirk.

An older man stood at the podium onstage, having just finished giving an award to a pretty young lady who was leaving the stage. He cleared his throat to announce the next award.

"Next up, we have an award for fastest growing small business. It _is_ a small business, but it's so much more than that. The little diner seemed to pop up over night, steadily growing a client base in no time. The food is delicious, excellent quality and affordably priced. Most notably, the diner is known for hiring and feeding the homeless and ex-convicts, making donations regularly to local charities and consciously being sure to pay fair wages, even if it means taking a pay cut for the man in charge. Since the diner has been standing, just a few short years, it has made a _huge_ difference for the community in which it stands, and most people have no idea that the man in the kitchen is the man behind it all. Stories have been told of the generosity, people walking in without a penny and walking out with a full stomach and a job. We are extremely proud to graciously offer this award to one James Buchanan Barnes. This community loves you more than you know."

The room erupted into loud applause and cheers, some people standing from their seats. Tony looked over at James and saw that his face looked… completely astounded. He himself was astounded. He'd had absolutely no idea that James had done so many amazing things for so many people. He felt his chest swell with pride at even knowing this amazing, beautiful man.

James looked shocked, clearly he wasn't expecting such a thorough and detailed introduction, nor the reaction it garnered. Tony took his hand gently and raised it to his lips, kissing his knuckles.

"Congratulations baby, get up there," he urged, smile huge and bright. James looked at him with wide eyes and his face drained of color for just a moment, before he nodded and stood, straightening his suit jacket nervously. He shakily walked around the table and weaved his way through the others, walking toward the stage.

He walked with his head bowed slightly and his back was hunched just a little. Being the center of attention almost looked painful for him, but Tony was proud. He was still getting up there, terrified or not.

He made his way to the podium and cleared his throat awkwardly. The applause died down and the crowd waited for him to say a few words.

"Uh, h-hi. I'm James Barnes. I… guess I never realized how much people really like the diner," he said with an awkward chuckle. "I…" he looked around the room and took a deep breath. "I started out with next to nothing. I bought from local vendors and I brought fresh ingredients from my own garden at home. I guess I still do that. It's important to me that I support other local businesses, I'm sure they started out much like myself," he smiled and his shoulders seemed to relax a little. "I used to be in a very bad place. I was in a relationship that was abusive," he turned toward the far side of the room, no doubt hoping the words would resonate with Ravus. "I was made to believe that I would never amount to anything. I was told that I'd never make it, and that no one could possibly love me."

A low murmur came from the crowd, no doubt whispering about what a poor thing James was and how horrible of a person his ex was and things of the sort. Tony gritted his teeth and his jaw tensed, but he kept his eyes on James.

"Truthfully, it was hard to get those words out of my head," he continued. "But I kept my nose to the grindstone and…. Now I stand here today, owner of a thriving restaurant. I have the best crew I could have ever wished for. I have a man that stands by me. A man that… loves me."

"Lucky man!" A random voice shouted from the crowd, evoking laughter from the room. James' face broke into a goofy grin and he blushed. Tony couldn't help the little smirk that played on his lips. He knew he was lucky.

"I think that just receiving this honor tonight proves that… all those words, all the times I was told I wouldn't amount to anything… they didn't mean a thing." He turned, no doubt directly to Ravus. "I'm better today than I was in the past, and tomorrow I'll be better than I was today. I won." He finished, smiling and taking a deep breath.

Tony began clapping first, quickly followed by everyone else. Tony stood proudly, smiling at the younger man. He let out a loud wolf whistle and Marina laughed. James laughed too, brushing a tear from his eye and accepting the little paper award from the older man that still stood with him on the stage. He gave an awkward sort of half bow and practically ran from the stage.

As soon as he reached Tony, he threw his arms around him, laughing loudly.

"Don't ever let me do that again," he joked to Tony. The older man just smiled and kissed him.

"Alright, my turn," Marina said, standing and pulling James into her own tight hug, the rest of the crew at the table following suit.

The rest of the night was a blur. A few more awards were handed out, but Tony and James didn't hear any of them. Once the ceremony was over they opted to stay, drinking, dancing and mingling for the rest of the evening with the crew from the diner. Tony saw Ravus slinking around but he never let him get close to James.

"Baby, can you grab me another drink? I'm going to run to the restroom," James said into Tony's ear. Tony nodded and watched him leave before heading toward the bar.

"You want a drink?" He shouted to Marina over the din of the room.

"Long island," she called back with a laugh. Tony smiled a nodded, heading off. Before he could reach the bar, a man stopped him.

"You're a lucky guy," he said. Tony recognized him as the man who'd shouted during James' speech. He smiled and nodded.

"You have no idea," he responded.

"Well, you better take care of him because there's plenty of people here that would love to take him home," the man laughed. Tony laughed too, continuing on his way.

Once he'd finally reached the bar, he stood next to another man and waited to catch the bartender's attention. He gave the man next to him a once over and realized he was standing right next to Ravus himself. He smirked a little to himself at his luck and glanced around to be sure that James wasn't back yet.

Ravus had his back turned to Tony, sipping on something and looking surly. Tony snaked his arm around Ravus' hips and yanked him close, catching the man off guard. Ravus choked on his drink in his surprise and turned, wide dark eyes on Tony, realizing immediately who he was.

"U-uh-" was all the man was able to get out before Tony cut him off. Tony leaned close to Ravus' ear.

"Don't ever come for my man again," he growled low. From an outside perspective, it probably looked like Tony was hugging the skinny man.

"Don't think about him, don't say his name. If I see you again I won't be so friendly. Do you understand?" He kept his face pleasant so that no one around them suspected his threats. Ravus nodded his head fervently, not even bothering to say anything in return. Tony gave his hip a squeeze and yanked him again, just to assert a little more dominance. He heard, as well as felt, the skinny man's spine pop a few times under his squeezing arms. "Do you understand?" He growled again.

"Y-yes! Yes s-s-sir!" He stuttered out, fear written clearly on all of his features, hands against Tony's chest defensively.

"Good," Tony purred, just as the bartender stood in front of him. He released his grip on Ravus, pulling a quiet gasp from his lips, and turned his attention toward the bartender. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ravus quietly slinking away like a dog with his tail between his legs. He smirked to himself and ordered drinks for the three of them.

"Who was that?" Marina asked suspiciously when Tony arrived back at the table.

"James' ex," he informed her. "The one he was talking about," he added on, watching realization cross her features.

"That little shit?!" She gasped in surprise. Tony nodded and sipped his drink.

"I took care of it," he assured.

"Good, cause I'm getting fired up now," she said, sounding feisty. Tony laughed.

Just then, James returned from the restroom.

"There was some guy in there offering to be my backup boyfriend," he laughed, taking his drink from the table and wrapping an arm around Tony's waist. Tony knew he wore a look of complete reverence as he gazed at James' face but he didn't care. He didn't care who knew it. He loved the younger man and it had been such an amazing night. He didn't think he'd been this happy in a very long time.

"What were you guys talking about?" He asked.

"Ass whooping," Marina chimed in, clearly feeling a little tipsy from all of her drinks. The three of them laughed and nobody elaborated and Tony drank in the beautiful sight that was James, radiating love and happiness.

**************

When Tony pulled in to the driveway and turned his key in the ignition, killing the engine, James had been asleep for at least 20 minutes. Tony had let him sleep, glancing over often just to see his face. He hadn't been able to stop smiling the whole way home.

He quickly got out and crossed to the passenger side, opening the door. He slid a hand behind James' back and the other under his knees, lifting him from the car. He wasn't light by any means but nothing Tony couldn't carry.

James woke immediately with a start, gripping Tony's shoulders tightly.

"Hey!" He yelped, calming when he realized what was happening. "You're going to break your hip Tony, put me down," he laughed. Tony chuckled.

"I gotcha," he assured, closing his door with the tip of his shoe and heading toward the house. James sighed sleepily and rested his head on Tony's shoulder.

"I'm so proud of you. Facing your anxieties like that," Tony murmured. He felt more than saw James smile. "I'm sorry that you had to see Ravus again, though," he said empathetically.

James was quiet a moment before he spoke.

"It's okay. I think I kind of needed it a little bit."

"Closure?"

"Something like that."

Tony reached the back door (they always used the back door) and gently let James down to his feet, pulling out the right key to unlock the sliding door. He stood back and gestured for James to go first, then closed the door behind them, turning the lock.

"As much as I hate to say this, I think we should get out of these clothes and into bed," Tony stated, sounding ever the responsible dad.

"Awwww," James whined playfully, setting his award certificate on the bar.

"We're getting a frame for that tomorrow," Tony said, poking his finger at the paper as he ushered James toward the hall, pushing at his hips teasingly. James reluctantly made his way down the hall, flailing and groaning petulantly the whole way. Tony laughed, smacking at his ass to keep him going.

"I don' wanna go to bed!" James whined, even as he stripped his clothes off piece by piece before he even reached the closet. Tony huffed a laugh through his nose, collecting the pieces of James' suit as he shed them. He followed him into the closet and dropped the gray pieces onto the top of a small dresser, beginning to strip his own suit off.

"Wear the little black t-shirt," Tony suggested. "That tight one I like?" He casually added with a smirk, getting his own clean t-shirt on.

James chuckled and grabbed the exact one, pulling it over his head.

"Hold still," Tony said, reaching into James' hair and pulling out a few pins, letting his hair loose. James sighed at the feeling and Tony gently scrubbed at his scalp with his fingertips.

"Hey, why'd you say 'I hate to say this'?" Bucky asked, eyes barely open as he enjoyed his mini-massage.

"Just now?"

"When we came in," James clarified.

"Oh, well because you looked so fucking good, love. I'd absolutely love to do unspeakable things to and with you," he said, not a hint of irony in his voice.

James laughed, heading back toward the room with a yawn. "I've still got energy, I'm not tired!" He responded with a smile, flopping face first onto the bed.

"Oh right, your 'work look'," Tony laughed, rolling his eyes. He flipped off the switch and joined James on the bed, sliding in beside him.

"Good night, doll," James whispered.

"Good night, sweetheart." Tony leaned forward and kissed James gently, feeling the younger man smile against his lips.

"What?" Tony asked.

"You love me," James said in a silly voice, poking at Tony's side.

Tony blushed in the dark and grinned.

"Shut up," he laughed, nudging James with his elbow. They smiled silently in the dark for a moment, listening to each other breathe.

"I love you too," James whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Ravus (in my mind) was based off of Raviv Ulman. I'm going to make a little mood board on my Tumblr in a bit, will link here later.  
> Please comment and let me know your thoughts! Even if you hated it. If you made it this far, please leave a comment!
> 
> Edit; I've tried every way I possibly could to embed the picture in the story and it just doesn't want to work for me. Sorry guys 😞
> 
> Edit 2; I enlisted assistance and we sort of made it work! It's a link instead of an image but it gets the job done! Hurray for progress!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner date? Shenanigans?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure if I should continue this story after the way the last chapter ended so well, but I just couldn't stop thinking about what ifs. What would happen if this? And what about that? 
> 
> I kept thinking up new and different scenes and scenarios and finally I just had to write one. I'm not sure if it's really a next chapter per se but it's an event that would have happened down the line for sure. I hope you all enjoy!

A few months after the awards ceremony had gone by and Tony and James were practically married. Tony had started going back to work frequently, no longer needing to be worried about what kind of verbal, emotional or mental abuse he'd get from his partner and finally beginning to feel settled into a routine with James.

They spent as much time as they could together, cuddling, cooking, reading. James even showed Tony a few things in the garden, swearing he'd make a country boy out of his city ass one day. They made love in the soft damp grass in the morning and showered together before James had to go to work. Tony typically found a way to style James' hair, but every once in a while, he wanted to wear it in his big, messy bun. It wasn't a bad look after all, Tony couldn't keep his eyes away from the younger man when the soft dark tendrils began to fall loose around his neck and shoulders. He still couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky. 

Tony had convinced James to start seeing a therapist with him, not because of relationship problems, but because he felt like they both needed help getting over the lasting PTSD they both had from shitty, broken relationships that they'd put too much hope into. 

It worked, too. Tony still missed Peter and felt sad about him sometimes, but it had been a long time since he'd flinched around James' quick movements in the kitchen, or had a breakdown over something as small as a broken glass or being late home. 

One afternoon they both were home together with the day off, laying snug on the window seat in the bedroom. Tony lay on James' chest and watched rain pouring down the window in streaks, the sky gray and dreary. James had one strong arm wrapped around Tony's chest and the other held a thick, dog-eared book in front of them from which he read aloud softly to Tony. Suddenly, he went quiet and paused a moment. 

"Okay?" Tony asked, still watching the rain. James stayed quiet still. Finally, he lowered the book onto Tony's chest, spread open at the page they were on. 

"We should invite Peter over for dinner," he said quietly. He felt Tony's muscles tense slightly under his fingers and gently ran them up and down his skin in a calming manner. 

"Why would we do that?" Tony asked, voice taking a protective edge. James let out a little sigh. 

"Well, you're paying for him to go to therapy, right? And the therapist says he's doing well? Maybe we should just have him over to make sure he's doing okay," he finished thoughtfully.

"I could just text him and ask if he's doing okay," Tony stated, sitting up and turning himself around. "He doesn't really need to be in our house." James lifted himself into a sitting position.

"It was just a suggestion," he replied calmly. "I have no ill will toward him. And, maybe it'll help you get a little closure on that part of your life? I kinda had mine with Ravus and I feel so much better now. I just thought, maybe it could help you too. It could be a double date, we could make dinner, we'd play a game or something-" Tony cut him off.

"You think I need closure?" He mused curiously.

"Its normal, doll. We all miss people from our past. We're human."

Tony hummed in thought, then sighed and nodded. 

"Fine, but I get to cancel if I want to," he stated, faux-grumpily. James chuckled and reached his fingers up to Tony's chin, pulling him a little closer. 

"Of course, love. Any time," he aquiesced, leaning forward and kissing Tony gently. 

*********

Tony had texted Peter and invited him over, and it had taken a little convincing but Peter had finally accepted the invitation. Tony had told him that he could bring a date so that they could double and Peter had agreed. They'd set up a day and time and Tony had waited anxiously.

"I still don't see why we have to do this," Tony grumbled, helping to set four places at the table. 

"We don't _have_ to do this honey, but you didn't cancel, and today's the day. They'll be here soon."

"I know, I know," Tony huffed, taking a swig from his wine glass and turning to grab a big bowl of salad from the kitchen counter. James had spent the morning picking things from his garden to use for the salad that evening and had washed everything with care. Tony had watched him, a smile playing on his lips as he tenderly brushed the dirt off of every leaf under cold water. Tony still couldn't begin to fathom the things James knew about fruits, vegetables and herbs, and he loved and appreciated watching that knowledge first-hand. 

"It looks beautiful," he said to James in a quiet voice as he set down the gray stoneware bowl. James wrapped his arms around Tony's waist from behind and peppered the side of his throat with kisses and a few tiny licks until Tony laughed.

Suddenly, they heard the doorbell ring. Tony felt an icy shot of fear blaze through his veins, and James gave his sides a reassuring squeeze before he turned toward the rarely used front door. 

"It'll be alright," he promised as he walked away. Tony gripped the back of a chair tightly, feeling his palms grow sweaty. He knew that Peter couldn't hurt him anymore, and he knew that the slip of a thing probably wouldn't even want to try, but just being in proximity made Tony's nerves tingle with electricity and the tiny hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. He took a deep breath and exhaled his anxiety as James turned the knob on the door. 

"Peter! Nice to see you, I'm glad you came!" James smiled happily, greeting him in a quick half hug before stepping back and gesturing for Peter and his date to enter.

Tony saw him step in, and it was definitely the same Peter, but he just looked so different from when he'd last seen him. He wasn't so scrawny anymore. He'd gained a few pounds and his face had filled out a little. He wore a tight gray t-shirt and skinny black jeans. His skin was no longer a pallid, pasty white but was now ever so slightly sun-kissed, bringing out the freckles that dotted across his nose. His hair looked shiny and his curls bounced when he moved again. The biggest difference, though, that Tony noticed was that he was… smiling.  
Like, _really_ smiling. He looked truly happy in a way that Tony hadn't seen in years.

"Hey, Buck," Peter greeted shyly as he stepped over the threshold, followed by a tall blonde man. Tony recognized him immediately as Steve. 

Steve from the bar. From the confrontation at his old home. The one that started his separation from Peter into motion. Tony couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger in his chest at the sight of the huge man. He knew it was irrational, but he held a lot of blame in his heart towards Steve. 

"Actually, it's James," Tony spoke up, finally releasing his white-knuckled death grip from the chair and taking a few steps toward the three men in the doorway. Peter glanced up, eyes widening and took in Tony, looking the older man up and down.

"O-oh... Sorry. Hey, Tony" Peter mumbled, averting his gaze down to his feet and shoving his hands in his pockets. He shuffled his sneaker clad toes and turned toward Steve. "T-this is-"

"Steve," Tony cut him off, moving to the man with an outstretched hand, squeezing it a little too firmly when he accepted. 

"Nice to see you again, Tony," Steve greeted in response. 

"Hmmm," Tony hummed, looking up into his light blue eyes fiercely. 

James cleared his throat and rested his hand on Tony's forearm, wordlessly reminding him to release the blonde and be civil. 

"Tony and I are happy that you two could make it!" James chirped cheerfully, breaking the tension in the room with a word. Peter breathed a sigh of relief and Steve held his hand out for James to shake. James bypassed the hand and leaned up on tiptoes to hug the man's broad shoulders, and Steve returned the embrace with a smile. Tony bristled at the sight, but turned his attention to the dining room behind them instead of dwelling. 

"How about some wine?" He suggested, sounding a little annoyed despite himself. 

"I'd love some," he heard Steve's voice reply, followed by agreement from James.

"Peter?" He asked, turning toward the smallest man but not making eye contact. 

"No thanks, Tone. Just water?" He asked. Tony nodded his head and headed for the kitchen. 

"I hope you guys are cool with Cornish hens? I made a salad too, from my garden," Tony heard James' sweet voice. He smiled and set about getting glasses for everyone. Nothing could calm him the way James' voice could. He could listen to James read from a _thesaurus_ and he'd enjoy every minute of it. 

"That'll be a first for me, I've never had it," Steve replied. "You garden?"

"Yeah! I have all kinds of vegetables, some fruits, herbs. I love to be outside," James responded. "I can show you if you want?" He suggested. 

"That sounds great," Steve accepted, much to Tony's dismay. He didn't want Steve and James to be alone, but he didn't want to play the stereotypical jealous boyfriend following them around either. He just didn't trust _Steven_. 

He watched wearily as James lead the tall blonde through the sliding glass back door, talking excitedly about his admittedly amazing garden, feeling his pulse quicken as James slid the door closed behind them.

James never closed the back door, not ever. Tony's jaw clenched and he stared through the glass for another moment as they disappeared from sight, deciding if it would be too tacky for him to surruptitiously slide it open again when he realized that he was alone with Peter. 

He cleared his throat and remembered his task, crossing to the freezer to get a few ice cubes into a cup and fill it with water from the refrigerator door to give to the younger man. When he finally turned to Peter and regarded him fully, he felt his nervousness creep back up from the pit of his stomach. 

He cleared his throat again and walked slowly to the young man, holding his arm outstretched to keep some distance between them. Peter had been glancing around the room at all of the decorations and paintings on the walls when he finally turned his attention to Tony. 

The second his honey brown eyes met with Tony's chocolate ones, he felt his heart stop. It brought back so many memories just to stand there with Peter.

"Uh, your water," Tony announced, turning his gaze away. 

"Thanks," Peter said quietly, taking the cold glass and taking a few sips. Tony felt his eyes drawn back to the slight man as he did so, tracking the movement of his adams apple as he drank, almost as if drawn by a magnetic force. Peter looked good. Really good. 

Tony's eyes slowly began to wander over Peter's newly filled out chest and broader shoulders, moving their way down farther. He flushed when he realized what he was doing and quickly turned away, moving away from the young man. 

"So uh… how's therapy?" Tony asked, trying to make small talk, however awkward. 

"It's great. I can't thank you enough for setting me up with your doctor friend," Peter answered earnestly, taking a step toward Tony. The older man instinctively took a step backwards and bumped into the side of the couch, halting his motion. Peter noticed the subconscious movement and smiled a stoic grin. He motioned toward the end of the couch that he stood beside. 

"May I?" he asked. Tony shrugged and nodded, glancing around the room as Peter sat. 

"I've really changed, Tony. I've grown quite a lot, emotionally," he stated quietly. Tony turned his eyes toward Peter, feeling a spark of familiarity when their eyes met again. He didn't know how to respond, so he didn't. 

"I'm sorry for everything I put you through. Everything I did to you. I'm sorry," Peter said sincerely. 

"Yeah, well…" Tony shuffled nervously, glancing over his shoulder to the glass door again. He could just see James and Steve in the back yard, laughing about something as James pointed something out in his garden. 

"I mean it, Tony. You didn't deserve any of the shit I put you through," Peter pressed, drawing the older mans' attention back into the living room. 

Tony turned and really looked at him. He did seem different. He wasn't pawing at Tony and begging for him to take him back, so that was a good start. But he seemed really calm, pleasant. Serene.

Tony still felt nervous, but he perched himself precariously on the arm of the sofa, glancing at Peter from the corner of his eyes. 

"I was in a dark place at the end of our relationship. I was unhappy with myself and I wanted to fill the hole that I had with anything I could get my hands on, incl…" Peter trailed off for a moment before swallowing and continuing. "Including other men. I didn't know how to help myself. I was sad and angry, and I took it out on you. It was wrong of me. I hope that in time you'll find it within yourself to forgive me," he finished, taking another sip of his water. Tony was surprised when he sighed and his chest felt less tight. He looked at Peter straight on.

"I appreciate that, Pete," he said in a quiet voice. They looked at each other for a moment before Tony finally spoke again.

"Did you… did you ever love me?" He asked, feeling his heart constricting in his chest again at the thought of getting an answer. Peter smiled at Tony.

"I always loved you. I still _love_ you."

Tony's shoulders tensed and his body prepared to jump up in escape, but Peter chuckled at his silent response. 

"I mean, I love you Tony, but I'm not _in_ love with you. Not anymore. But… I'll always have love for you in my heart. You did so much for me, and you were always there for me. Even when I didn't deserve it."

Tony looked on at Peter for a moment before dropping his gaze to the floor and sighing. 

"How many?"

"…How many…?"

"Men."

"Oh. Uh…" Peter dropped his gaze too.

Just then the back door slid open and the house filled with the musical sounds of James and Steve laughing loudly together. Peter's smile grew wide at the sound and he turned to look at the men. 

"Sorry that took so long guys, apparently Steve has never seen a garden so amazing," James grinned cockily, nudging the tall blonde with his elbow.

"Babe, you should see it! I've never smelled a tomato so amazing!" Steve elaborated, crossing quickly to Peter's side and placing a quick kiss on Peter's mouth, resting a big hand on his shoulder. "And his zucchini is _huge!_ " Steve finished.

James broke into a fit of snorting chuckles and walked over closer to where Tony sat, not noticing the downcast look in his eyes as he wrapped his arm around the older man's shoulders. Steve was chortling quietly a moment later when he realized how what he'd said had sounded. 

"Sounds awesome honey, I'll have to check it out," Peter replied pleasantly, smiling at James.

****************

The four of them had all sat down together and James had served everyone once the hens were ready. Tony made sure there was plenty of wine on standby. He couldn't stop thinking about what Peter's shamed response meant in terms of the question asked. _Had_ there been other men? And how many? Did he _want_ to know?

He knew he shouldn't let it bother him as much as it did, but it was like scratching open an old wound when it was almost healed.

Tony was lost in his mind, staring absently at the young man before him as he toyed with the food beneath his fork impulsively instead of eating it. Peter was trying not to show how uneasy Tony's open gaze was making him, but he kept shifting closer to Steve in discomfort.

Suddenly, Tony felt James' warm hand rest upon his restlessly fidgeting thigh, stopping the nervous motion he hadn't even realized he'd been making. He quickly turned wide brown eyes on James, looking into his clear cerulean ones. 

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked, feeling a little foolish for not having heard what James had been saying. 

"I was just telling them how you helped me with a new pie recipe for the diner, it's a huge hit!" James repeated, graciously not mentioning the way Tony had been staring at Peter. 

"Oh, yeah the-the… blackberry with the…" Tony trailed off and was lost in his thoughts again within seconds. 

"Peach," James prompted, giving Tony's thigh a little squeeze.

"Right, sorry honey." Tony felt horrible for not being present in the conversation but he just couldn't focus on anything. Anything, that is, except for what Peter had been about to say in the living room.

"I think I've actually been in your diner a few times before. It's the little one with the jukeboxes, right?" Steve asked, taking a bite of the fresh salad. _That_ got Tony's attention.

"Yeah! Middle of town, next to that little hot yoga place, by the tattoo shop. That's me," James smiled proudly, leaning forward toward Steve who sat across from him. 

_Great_ , Tony thought. _Now this meat-head is coming for my current man, too._ He huffed a surly breath and grabbed for his wine, slugging it all down in one go. 

"Wow, are you alright, Tony?" Steve asked sincerely, noticing the oldest man's annoyance. Tony rolled his eyes and internally grumbled at the man's annoyingly concerned question, slid his chair back and stood.

"I'm heading to the bathroom, I'll be back in a minute," he told James quietly. He took a step away from the table, then backtracked, quickly gripping James' chin and jaw with both hands, forcefully pulling him into a rough, consuming and definitely possessive kiss. He pulled James into himself so hard that James actually lifted off his chair by a couple of inches.

James managed to pull back after a moment, falling back into his seat with a quiet clang of his cutlery against his plate and wide eyes, panting heavily to regain his breath and gently but forcefully holding Tony at bay with his hands against his chest. 

"Wow babe, thank you, uh, that's-that's really sweet. You uh, you want me to get you some water while you're gone?" He asked, politely suggesting to Tony that he might have had too much to drink already. 

Tony sighed. "Yeah baby, thanks," he replied, heading for the restroom. Once he'd disappeared down the hallway, James glanced up at Peter and Steve self-consciously. Both of their faces were flushed pink, trying not to show their own thoughts on the matter. He quietly cleared his throat and looked back down at his plate, pushing a few leaves of fresh arugula around awkwardly.

"It's uh, it's really delicious. Dinner, I mean. I've never had this before, I didn't actually know they made chickens so small," Steve said quietly, trying to break the tension in the room. 

"Thanks, they're kinda tricky to cook actually. Really easy to over do it," James replied back, easily shifting into the familiar territory of small talk, thankful for the change of subject. 

"You're a great cook, no wonder your place is doing so well," Steve continued. James smiled and sipped his wine, remembering then that he had to get Tony water. He grabbed Tony's empty wine glass on his way to the kitchen to set it on the counter and replace it with a glass of water. Out of sight, out of mind he hoped. Just then Peter's small voice piped up through the silence.

"You know, maybe we should just get going. Tony's clearly not comfortable with us being-with _me_ being here," he squeaked nervously. James quickly turned back around and headed back for the table, setting Tony's water near his place setting. He glanced down at his older lover's plate and saw that he hadn't really eaten any of it, just pushed things around and made the plate messy. 

"Maybe we should just wrap up dinner and play a game or something, or maybe we could all sit outside and we could do a little bonfire with some drinks?" James suggested, sitting down again slowly. 

"That sounds good, we could-" Steve began, but Peter cut him off, placing a gentle hand against his chest.

"That might not be such a great idea," Peter stated, face flushing hot. 

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"Well… I'm sure you remember the _last time_ we were all in your back yard together…" he trailed off, flushing brighter red. 

James' eyes widened as the memory came back to him and he felt his own face flushing hot and red. 

"I was in my-"

"Underwear. And you told me to keep-"

"Keep your man sweet or someone-"

"Someone else will." They finished each other's thoughts and flushed crimson, not willing to look at each other as they thought about the memory of Peter tracking Tony down, finding them practically naked together and then begging for Tony back unsuccessfully, all after having asked Tony to leave so that he could hook up with Steve. 

Steve's confused face followed the two of them like he were watching a tennis match. It was clear that Peter hadn't let him in on this part of his story. 

"Wait, is this like, a thruple thing? Like, did you guys all… _do it_ before I was in the picture?" Steve asked, sounding genuinely curious. 

He turned his gaze to James and slowly began openly casting his eyes across him, like he was looking at him for the first time, tip of his tongue poking out from the side of his mouth as a grin spread across his lips. 

James' face screwed up in something akin to embarrassed, amused and slightly grossed out. He involuntarily crossed his arms over his chest as Steve cast his gaze farther down.

"No! You fucking goon, we didn't all sleep together!" James laughed awkwardly, unable to keep the smile off his face at the ridiculous blonde man. 

"Oh. Wait, is that why we're here?" Steve turned toward Peter again with a confused and somewhat hopeful expression. "Is this like some weird orgy thing? Are we gonna-" Peter quickly cut him off.

"No! Honey, no! That's not, this isn't..." Peter let out an exasperated sigh, trying to get his thoughts back in order. 

"I mean, I'm totally down for whatever you guys wanna do, or whoever you wanna-" Steve continued obliviously.

"You just wanna fuck _all_ my boyfriends? You want a list of all my exes so you can track 'em all down too?" Tony's voice rang from the hallway as he made his way back to the dining room looking less than amused.

James and Peter both whipped their heads around to look at Tony with wide eyes, both looking guilty though there was nothing to be guilty of. Steve looked more confused than ever. 

"What… what are you-what the hell is happening?" He asked, looking from one person to the next in search of an answer. 

Tony gripped the back of his chair and sighed, choosing not to sit back down.

"Peter is my ex, you know that much?" Tony asked.

"Of course, you told me that you were together the day I came to-"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Tony waved him off, effectively stopping Steve from finishing his sentence and bringing up the bad memory. "Then you know that it didn't exactly end super well, I'm guessing," Tony continued.

"I know some things about it but not everything," Steve admitted, taking a sip of his wine. 

"We don't have to talk about this right now, we could-" Peter tried. Tony cut him off too.

"I took Peter to the bar, he met you, I met him," he gestured in James' direction beside him. "This is where we are now." Tony motioned vaguely to the whole table with his hands. Tony could see the wheels turning in Steve's head as things clicked into place.

"Oh," Steve said simply. 

"I'm trying to be civil," Tony continued. "I'm trying to find closure for myself while maintaining a semblance of graciousness and gentility toward someone that I still have love in my heart for. I'm trying to do this while maintaining happiness within the relationship that I'm currently in with a man that I am _completely_ in love with. And _you_ ," he pointed straight at Steve, "have flirted with and hit on both of them, you're sleeping with one of them presently and you're simultaneously trying to get in the others' pants."

Steve's eyes grew wide, eyebrows shooting up and his jaw dropped a little. His hands rose from the table in a defensive position in the air, like he were warding off Tony's words. 

"Wait a minute, this isn't _my fault_ , I came in to a situation that was already broken, _I_ didn't break it. And as far as he goes," he gestured with his hand toward James. "I am absolutely not _trying_ to get in his pants. I thought I was being offered an opportunity to do so and I was - and still am - perfectly willing to accept that offer because, and let's just be honest here, you two," he looked from Tony to James and back again, "are fine as hell."

The whole room fell silent, no one knowing what to say to each other while they were mulling over Steve's words. 

After a tension charged moment, Tony began to chuckle quietly. Soon, his chuckling became laughing hysterically, and the rest of the men couldn't help but join in at the absurdity of the whole night. When they all began to quiet down, Steve spoke up.

"I'm sorry Tony. I didn't know that you felt the way you did about me and this whole situation. I suppose I probably could have guessed it, but maybe I'm a little oblivious."

"It's true," Peter piped up, voice expressionless. "He's completely oblivious."

"Ouch, babe," Steve stated, turning to Peter with an amused but incredulous look.. 

"Sorry honey, it's true though."

Tony couldn't help but chuckle again, finally deciding to pull his chair out and sit back down. He heaved a heavy, cleansing sigh and turned toward James.

"I fucking love you," he stated, leaning over to rest his head on the younger mans' shoulder. James chuckled and rested his head against Tony's.

"This is the weirdest dinner I've ever had," he responded with fondness in his voice, looking across at Peter and Steve.

"So, can we all like, start over?" Steve asked, looking at each of the other men in turn. "I mean, obviously, we can't erase our pasts, and we can't pretend they didn't happen. But, can we just start over as friends? All of us?" 

James sat up and smiled at Tony, waiting for an answer. Tony lifted his head and looked back at James. He couldn't deny that there was still a little jealousy residing in his bones when it came to Steve in general, but the whole situation would be so much better and so much less toxic if they all were just friends. 

He could see the spark of hope in James' eyes, and he looked across the table at Steve, who seemed happy enough, with the pleasant way his lips curled into a smile at the corners and the way his posture and his whole energy had been so non threatening from the beginning.

He then turned to look at Peter before him. His smokey honey, whiskey colored eyes and the way his soft, chocolatey curls fell across his forehead. His face was a little nervous at what Tony would say, but his eyes were hopeful and… it was like looking at a completely different person. Tony was already doing his best to dislodge the deep-seeded bitterness that he held from the young man from the past. He was already working on forgiving him, he was already working on moving on. So why not? Did he really _need_ to know if there were other men? Would it really make him feel better to know? 

"Let's start over," Tony conceded, little smile curling his own lips up when the three other men each gave a shout of joy.

Steve quickly leaned up from his chair and reached his hand out toward Tony, the older man taking it curiously.

"Hi, I'm Steve!" He said with a huge grin. Peter groaned and slapped his palm over his forehead and James let out a boisterous laugh. The blonde really was the most oblivious person Tony had ever met. He could handle oblivious. 

******************************

Tony stood clearing the dishes from the table, scraping the scraps into the garbage and rinsing the plates before setting them in the empty side of the double sink to be washed. He dried his hands on the soft cloth that hung from a bar on a cupboard door and replaced it, turning to head down the hallway where James was getting ready for bed. When he reached the bathroom door, he stood silently in the doorway, watching James with a pleasant smile on his lips.

The night had ended much better than it began. The four men had finished dinner, deciding to head outside after all, and James and Steve had built a fire. It seemed that James and Steve got on like they'd been friends for their entire lives. They finished each other's sentences and laughed about things that neither Tony nor Peter understood, nudging each other with elbows and touching shoulders.

They played a few card games and then gave up when it got too dark. Steve wrapped his arms around Peter and Tony did the same with James and the two told outlandish stories from their youths. There was no end to the ways they could make each other laugh, but Tony found that he wasn't jealous or angry about it at all. He was actually beginning to quite enjoy watching James interact with someone he had so much in common with. It was kind of nice to see. 

When the night was getting late and the talking had quieted into tired silence, Peter had suggested they head home and they'd all said their goodbyes with hugs. 

If Tony hugged Peter a little too long, no one had mentioned it. And if Steve had possibly slid his hand down James' back to cop a feel of his ass when he hugged him, Tony _definitely_ mentioned it, and James had definitely not been able to control his shocked laughter. 

Now, Tony stood in the doorway, feeling pure love radiating from his soul, as he watched the love of his life gently combing through his hair while he sang under his breath to the music that played quietly from the little radio on the bathroom counter. 

_"One promise we made it_  
We said we'd never break it  
Don't look down be honest  
Tell me has it changed?  
One life that we're living  
We're somewhere unforgiven  
Don't look down, be real now  
Tell me has it changed?" 

Tony smiled and finally stepped into the bathroom, catching James' attention. He slid his arms around his strong waist under his soft tee shirt and pulled his hips back into himself. James let out a little chuckle and reached his arms up over his head to gently lace his fingers in Tony's hair, pulling his head toward his shoulder. Tony enjoyed the sliver of skin at his waist that the motion exposed through the mirror in front of them and kissed the side of his neck gently. 

"Did you have a good night?" James asked in a sleep quiet voice. 

"I did. Did you have fun with your new best friend?" Tony asked teasingly. James chuckled and nodded his head. 

"I did."

Tony smirked. "You know he wants to fuck you, right?" James laughed, turning around to wrap his arms around Tony's shoulders. 

"Pretty sure he wants to fuck you too," he retorted, kissing Tony. Tony smiled at him when he pulled back, face turning partly amused and partly serious.

"Would you let him?" He asked, a little anxiously.

James looked him seriously in the eyes, thinking carefully before he responded. 

"Only if you said it was okay," he finally answered. Tony snorted and let go of James, turning toward their bedroom.

"On that note, it's bed time," he said, pulling his shirt over his head as he walked away. James laughed a silent laugh and followed him, flipping the light off as he did. 

 

_Life can't get much better_  
Let's just stay together  
These scars are tokens of promises broken  
Life can't get much better  
Let's just stay forever  
We've got to hold on, we've waited so long 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think? I may write a few more chapters here and there in the future but it won't necessarily be anything to add to the story, just more scenes like this one that I just want to write and get out of my head. Luckily for all the readers, I'll share them lol
> 
> Any ideas for scenes you think may happen between Tony and James, Peter and Steve or even all four of them? I'd love to hear them and possibly write them down! 
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plotless porn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was given a little nudge after the last chapter by Freshie456 to write a little orgy scene between the four guys and I decided why not? 
> 
> Then it got way out of my control and I ended up writing a chapter so long that it surpassed any chapter that I've written before, as well as needing to be split into two parts on my writing app because it couldn't hold any more characters. I actually didn't think I'd be done with it so soon, but I haven't been able to stop writing!
> 
> It might not be exactly what anyone expects or hopes for but I was kinda just writing it for myself, with kinks that I enjoy, so hopefully at least one person will enjoy it heh heh...

"I can't believe we're going to do this," James said, voice shaky and nearly a whisper as he nervously fidgeted with the hem of his dark gray Henley in the mirror. 

"Yeah, me neither," Tony grunted in a low voice, standing behind James while he struggled with the band of his watch. His own hands were sweaty and shaking slightly, fumbling with the clasp. He loosed a colorful stream of curses under his breath, resorting to using his teeth to hold the band in place. James let out a quiet chuckle and turned around to help his older boyfriend. 

"Let me," he urged, gently pulling the watch from Tony's teeth and attaching it around his wrist. Tony sighed and thanked James, brushing a stray strand of his hair from his forehead and behind his ear with his free left hand. 

"Do I look okay? Is this too much? Not enough?" James asked as he pulled the leather through the metal clasp. 

"You look fine, sweetheart. You won't be wearing those clothes for very long anyways." Tony smirked, taking in the sight of the lean, muscular man before him. Beneath his dark gray Henley with the sleeves pushed up to the elbows, James wore dark blue jeans that clung to just the right places and fell loose in others. They were so dark that they almost looked black. He paired the outfit with a pair of plain, all black canvas shoes that had rubber soles and toes. He looked sleek and put together without being too overdone. His hair was up loosely in a bun that hung low at the back of his neck. 

James blushed and ducked his head slightly at the words. He was positively shaking with nerves, but he couldn't deny that he was excited about the night, too. They'd been talking about it for so long, discussing how they all felt about the situation and different rules and acceptable scenarios, as well as safe words. It had been a long and sort of awkward process, but now the night was finally upon them. 

After the four had had dinner together, they began to set up meetings to see each other again. Over lunch in a low key restaurant, or a picnic and a day hiking or swimming. The four men had gotten closer in different ways. James and Steve were practically inseparable, laughing together about things only they understood and always sitting or standing near each other. Tony and Peter had reached a place where they didn't feel awkward around each other, and Tony was no longer afraid to be alone with the youngest. 

While it didn't bother Tony when Peter leaned against him during a movie night at his and James' home, he found it did bother him to see Steve pulling James off the couch and up onto his lap, wrapping an arm around him. He felt jealousy clouding his brain and darkening his expression as he watched James make himself comfortable, slouching down so that his head rested right against Steve's collar bone and his ass sat right in the space between Steve's thighs. He knew how bad Steve wanted to fuck James, he didn't exactly keep it a secret, and he knew James knew it too.

But it wasn't like the tall blonde wasn't flirty with Tony too. He glanced over to look at Peter and Tony cuddling on the couch and saw Tony watching, a lazy smile spreading across his face. He winked and gestured his head for Tony to come join them. 

"Plenty o' room here," Steve had practically purred, patting his lap as he smiled at Tony. Peter had turned and giggled at Steve, and Tony had blushed, looking away bashfully. The behemoth was right. Steve wasn't trying to take James away, he was just flirty. Right? Enough room for both of them, right?

One day, Tony got a call from Pete while he was at work in his garage. He didn't really know what to expect when he answered the phone but it wasn't what Peter said. 

"Hey Tony?" His high voice rang through the speaker. It sounded higher than usual, like he were nervous about something. 

"Yeah, Pete?" Tony responded patiently, wiping grease from his hands onto a rag. 

"How do you feel about swinging? You and James? You know, like, trading partners? Um, well sort of like that. N-not exactly trading but like together? The four of us? I-I mean, you and I don't really have to, uh-" Tony cut him off.

"Swinging? The four of-you mean like, do James and I want to have an orgy with you and Steve?" Tony couldn't help but furiously blushing as the words fell past his lips. Peter cleared his throat on the other end of the line and Tony could hear his breaths coming fast and nervous. 

"Uh… y-yes," he replied simply. There was a few moments of silence from both of them before anyone spoke. 

"You know, this was a bad idea, I shouldn't have called. I'll just tell Steve-"

"Was this Steve's idea?" 

A beat of silence and then, "Yes. He asked me to call but… he hasn't been able to stop talking about it. And I... I'm not exactly against it. It could be fun, right?" He squeaked.

"I'll have to talk to James about this," Tony responded evenly, despite the fact that his heart was thundering in his chest and his face was flushed so hot and red that his forehead was beginning to sweat. Just the thought of the four of them in a room together had his cock half hard. "We'll have to make sure everyone's okay with this," he finished. 

"O-of course! Of course, um… why don't you call me back once you've had a chance to talk?" Peter suggested.

Tony had rushed home as soon as he'd gotten off the phone, wasting no time in telling James about the phone call.

"What do _you_ think?" James had asked Tony once he'd finished telling him all about what he and Peter had discussed.

"I'm not sure. I've definitely imagined watching Steve rail you but I'm not sure how it would be with Peter there too," he stated honestly. James' face flushed bright red at Tony's words and his face turned up into a sort of grimacing smile.

"You think about me with Steve?" He asked with an awkward laugh.

"It's hard not to, he's constantly got a boner for you," Tony chuckled.

"Well, I'm not sure what to do about Peter. We can't just tell him he's not invited, he was the one to make the call," James stated, crossing his legs slightly where he sat to hide his awkward chub.

"Do _you_ want to fuck Peter? Because I'm pretty sure this whole idea is a just a way to say that everybody wants to fuck _you_ specifically. Steve might flirt with me a bit but he doesn't want me the way he wants you," Tony informed James. 

"Stop, you're making me blush," James giggled, turning his head away to hide the fact that he really couldn't stop blushing. 

"It's okay if you want to fuck Peter too, I get it, he's beautiful. Tiny little tight body, pretty little voice. You should hear him when you really hit his sweet spot, that boy sings like a canary-"

"Honey," James interrupted. "It's okay if you want to fuck Peter again too, you know that right?" He asked. Tony's face took on a shameful look and he turned his face down to the floor. 

"Do you love me?" James asked, pulling his attention back up.

"Of course," Tony said immediately, almost defensively.

"Would you marry me some day?" James asked. Tony's eyes widened and he hesitated for just a second, trying to decide if James sounded more hypothetical or not. 

"In a heartbeat," he responded, taking James' hands in his own. James smiled. 

"I love you, and I trust you. And, I'm fine with you sleeping with Peter again. If you want to," James said, thinking. "And as long as I'm there, not behind my back."

"Never," Tony agreed. "So… we're doing this?" He asked, looking James in his eyes. James sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and nodded, eyes wide. Tony smirked, leaning forward to capture James' mouth in a kiss.

"I can take care of _this_ for you right now," Tony murmured into James' lips, reaching to grab his growing erection. He hadn't been hiding it as well as he'd thought. 

****************************

"I can't believe we're doing this," James repeated as they climbed into Tony's car. Tony reached across the front and rested his hand on James' inner thigh, caressing lightly with his thumb. He could feel the tight, damp heat through James' jeans and knew he was excited. He felt the same way, mix of nerves and excitement running through his blood. 

"You remember my rules?" Tony asked, pulling onto the road.

"No calling anyone but you daddy, no saying I love you to anyone else and make my safe word known immediately," James listed dutifully, ticking off the list in his head. "What about my rules for you?" 

"No saying I love you to Peter, no being alone with him and no leaving you alone with anyone," Tony listed, giving James' thigh a squeeze.

"You should have a safe word, too," James told Tony. Tony nodded, mulling over what he would decide on. 

The four of them had gotten together a few times already to discuss what was and wasn't okay. They had all agreed that no one was to draw blood, though pain play was okay. They would use the stop light system for scenarios like that. The only thing they couldn't come to a firm agreement on was one of Steve's suggestions. 

He wanted to perform a kidnapping scenario, and he'd suggested it with a dark look in his eyes, attention fully on James. Tony didn't like the idea because he knew it meant leading to a faux rape scenario, and there was no way he felt comfortable watching the massive blonde, for all intents and purposes, raping his lover. James hadn't felt completely comfortable with it either, but Steve had kept asking and bringing it up. He clearly was very interested in this idea. 

Since they couldn't come to an agreement on how far was too far, they'd finally dropped the idea completely, but Tony still had the worry in his mind. Steve was much darker than he seemed, and it made Tony anxious about the huge man.

Peter had suggested little play, which didn't at all come as a surprise to Tony. He remembered giving Peter love and affection as a caregiver on many occasions and he knew exactly the kind of things Peter liked. Peter wanted James to be a little with him, but James wasn't sure if he'd be able to. He'd agreed to try.

With all the things the four of them had talked about, there was no way that they'd be able to do everything in this one day, so Tony was excited to see how they actually all _would_ play.

They were getting closer to the motel and James was getting fidgety in his seat. Tony had paid for the room, all of them deciding that keeping this kind of play out of either of their homes was the best idea. When they pulled into a parking space and Tony put the car into park, they sat there for a moment. Tony looked over at James and knew that he was probably so nervous that he felt sick. He really was the reason they were all getting together that day. Everyone wanted to fuck James. 

"Are you still okay with this?" Tony asked, drawing James' attention back. The younger man's head snapped to look at Tony and he nodded with a gulp, but Tony could see that his eyes were wide, his pupils tiny and his collar bones were popping out from the neck of his shirt, clear indication of anxiety. He could see his heart racing in the pulse point at James' throat.

"We can leave at any time. You can safe word out, and no matter what, I'll be with you," Tony assured. James nodded his head and took a deep breath, stepping out of the car. Tony followed suit and got out as well, clicking a button on his keys to lock the doors. Tony crossed to the passenger side of the car and took James' hand, lacing their fingers together and leading him into the lobby of the building. They walked slowly to the desk, and as they reached the concierge, the doors opened again and Peter and Steve were entering the building right behind them. Right on time. 

"Stark, party of four," Tony announced to the concierge, and the young man quickly handed Tony four keys, explaining how to reach the room Tony had booked. 

The four men walked in silence to the elevator and stepped inside, James clinging slightly to Tony and Peter doing the same to Steve on the opposite side of the roomy elevator. Tony handed out the keys to each of them, and they didn't say a word to each other the whole way up. Everyone was feeling some sense of anxiety at the situation. 

When the elevator doors dinged, they all stepped out and Tony motioned for Peter and Steve to keep going.

"We'll be there in just a second," he assured. Once they were out of earshot, Tony leaned close to James' ear and whispered, "how much you wanna bet, first thing Steve does is go after you?" 

James chuckled slightly and shook his head.  
"Fifty bucks says you're wrong."

"Well, you're about to be out fifty bucks," Tony chuckled, leading James down the hallway toward the room. Before they could swipe their keys to follow the other two into the room, Tony swung around and pulled James close into him, kissing him deeply and passionately. 

"I fucking love you, James Buchanan Barnes," he growled into James' throat as he kissed and nipped at the man. James nodded and let out a hot breath.

"I love you too, Tony," he forced out breathily. 

Tony reached forward and swiped his key card over the sensor, popping open the door. He pushed it open and motioned for James to go before him, closing the door behind them. 

Tony had paid for a bigger suite, and when they entered the room they had to travel down a little hallway before they could reach the room. They walked past a large bathroom and when they reached the bedroom, James stopped in shock. It was huge, a queen sized bed dominating most of the room. 

Steve sat on the end of the bed, knees spread wide around Peter, who knelt on the floor before him. Steve's fingers were wrapped around Peter's curls pulling his head back so that he looked straight up at Steve, exposing the whole long thin column of his throat. Peter tried to turn his head to see James and Tony enter the room, but Steve's fingers forced his head still.

"Stay," they heard him whisper quietly to Peter. James blushed and averted his gaze to Tony's shoulder, taking a step closer to the man. Suddenly, he was feeling very shy. 

"Yes, daddy," they heard Peter whisper back, and James buried his face into the back of Tony's shoulder.

He heard Steve stand from the bed and take a few steps closer to the two of them and he peeked over Tony's shoulder to see. 

Peter sat perfectly still where Steve had left him, face turned all the way up, throat exposed. Steve had him trained well. 

The blonde stood a few steps in front of them, looking at them both intently. 

"So uh… I guess we just… do this?" Tony spoke up. Steve smiled and nodded. 

"Sounds good," he said, reaching his hands out. James watched as Steve reached right past Tony and gently grabbed his bicep, forcing him out from behind Tony. He then pulled him roughly, throwing him off his balance and sending him crashing into Steve's chest. James looked over his shoulder at Tony with wide eyes and Tony mouthed the words "fifty bucks". James couldn't help but loose a little giggle and he felt himself relax. He was okay, Tony was there to protect him, and he knew Steve wouldn't _really_ hurt him. Their bond was too close. He sighed and tentatively reached his hands up to rest them lightly against the blonde's chest. 

Steve reached for the hem of James' shirt and gripped it, pulling it harshly over his head, ripping the loose hair tie from his hair in the process, and throwing it to the floor. James gasped and looked at Steve with wide blue eyes, hands reflexively reaching to cover himself. His hair fell in whispy tendrils around his face and tickling as it fell whisper soft against the tops of his shoulders. Steve quickly gripped both his wrists and yanked them behind him, holding them in a tight, slightly painful hold with one huge hand. James let out a yelp and quickly squeaked, "cinnamon!"

Steve's face turned confused and he slowed down to look at James quizzically.

"Cinnamon, m-my safe word is cinnamon!" James cried, feeling a bit nervous again. Steve smirked.

"Pretty," Steve growled in a low voice. "Petey's is vanilla. You two sound like yummy little cupcakes," he winked, licking his lips lasciviously. He leaned forward and James could smell wintergreen on his breath, the minty feeling breezing past his cheeks. Steve's lips were so close, but he didn't move to close the space between them. Instead, he glanced past James at where Tony still stood and asked, "kissing? Yes or no?"

"It's fine by me as long as I'm in the room. And it's really up to him," James heard him answer. He gulped and looked into Steve's blue eyes, specks of green glinting. Steve turned his attention to James' ocean blues. He quirked a brow, waiting for an answer. James glanced at Peter still on the floor and saw the youngest man peeking from the corner of his eye at them, not daring to move a muscle otherwise. 

He looked back at Steve and took a deep, shakey breath, then nodded his consent. The floodgates broke open immediately, Steve gripping James' throat loosely with one big hand, thumb pressing his jaw up to meet the taller man's kiss and gently digging in to his windpipe.

He shoved his tongue deep into James' mouth, licking at every surface and thrusting into his throat like he were fucking him with it. Steve pressed in so deeply that James couldn't breathe from his nose at all. 

He gagged softly around Steve's slick tongue, body starting to try to pull away from the assault, but the blonde didn't let up, delighting in the sounds and the tastes of James. He reached his free hand down and gripped a tight handful of James' ass, slotting his two middle fingers into the cleft along the seam of his jeans and pressing. James tried to let out a whimper but Steve was so far down his throat that he could barely breathe. What came out instead was a soft garbled squeak.

His hands reached up to press against Steve's chest, trying to force him away but the blonde held firmly, moaning into James' mouth.

James felt himself growing light headed from the lack of oxygen and he was beginning to see black spots on the edges of his vision. He felt his arms and legs growing weaker and his head started buzzing. He frantically smacked his palms against Steve's chest, trying to alert the man that he was about to pass out. Steve slowed his frantic tongue throat-fucking, but didn't stop. Using the hand at James' ass, and James' dizzy, light-headedness, he lifted him easily onto his tiptoes and spun him around so that now James was facing Tony, back to the mattress. 

Tony finally got a look at James' face then, eyes beginning to roll back and body falling slack, and his eyes shot open. 

"Hey, he can't breathe!" He said frantically, taking a big step closer to the two of them and placing a hand on Steve's upper arm. Steve finally, _finally_ released James, letting him drop onto the mattress completely, panting loudly. 

"He'll be fine. I just took his breath away, that's all," he turned and winked at Tony over his shoulder with a smile and Tony began to have second thoughts about the whole situation. 

Before he could voice any of his thoughts, Steve was giving Tony the same treatment, gripping him tightly in a consuming kiss. He reached to the front of Tony's jeans and began to caress the half hard erection in his pants, drawing a little cry from Tony who raised up onto his tip toes at the delightful feeling. Tony could see James lying on the bed behind Steve, eyes open but not seeing. His chest rose and fell shallowly as his brain began to come back online, getting his breathing back on track. He'd been so incredibly close to passing out that his body felt like it almost wasn't his.

Steve released Tony as quickly as he'd grabbed him and pulled back with a gleeful smile and a chuckle. 

"You said you two can _both_ handle a rough scene, right? I hope that wasn't exaggerated," he stated turning quickly back to face James, laying vulnerable and half naked on the bed. Before Steve could make a move, he threw a glance Peter's way. 

The smallest of the four of them, he knelt on the floor unmoving, still looking up where Steve's face had been, now only staring at the ceiling. His hands were folded politely behind his back and his tight, blue jean clad knees were spread wide open. He hadn't moved a muscle.

"Such a good boy, baby," Steve cooed, reaching with one gentle finger to tap against the bridge of Peter's nose, gently angling his face down, relieving the tension on his neck. Peter allowed himself to be posed like a doll, Steve pressing his shoulders down a bit and straightening his spine, then when Steve was satisfied with his new position Peter whispered, "thank you, daddy." 

Tony swallowed and realized that they were all, in some small way, at Steve's mercy. They all knew their safe words and were prepared to use the stop light system at any moment, but he hoped it wouldn't come to that. Peter sat on the floor still, now staring at the corner of the mattress and Tony felt a bit of pity for him. He'd have never treated Peter that way when they were together. He decided to have mercy on the boy and coax him onto the bed with the rest of them. 

Slowly, he walked to where Peter sat and touched his shoulder, commanding the boy's attention, then motioned for him to follow as he walked to the other side of the mattress. The bed was big enough for them to fit comfortably all together, and it made Tony feel better that he could be so close to James while Steve did… whatever he was planning to do. 

Peter dutifully followed him, waiting for Tony to make himself comfortable and invite him onto the bed before he climbed up with him. He attempted to straddle Tony's lap, but Tony wasn't quite ready for that with Peter yet, instead gripping his hips and settling him on the mattress beside him. He pulled him snug into his chest and began running his fingers through Peter's hair, watching Steve with his lover intently. If his free hand was gently stroking his growing erection through his jeans as he watched, no one mentioned it. 

Steve climbed over James, pinning his arms beside his head and his legs at his hips and he nuzzled his nose into the soft fleshy part of his throat just below his jaw. He inhaled deeply and let out a contented sigh.

Just then, James took a deep, shudderey, rattling breath in and blinked a couple times, coming back to himself. Steve let out a low hum and licked a broad, slow stripe along James' windpipe. 

"Welcome back, sugar plum," Steve cooed, beginning to kiss down to his chest. Tony watched James' chest begin to rise and fall rapidly, his clear blue eyes searching frantically, for what he didn't know. 

After just a moment he began to calm down, swallowing thickly. Tony watched a tiny tear fall from the corner of his eye and was preparing to say something to Steve when James finally spoke up.

"I feel so…" His voice was soft and quiet. 

"Pliant?" Steve suggested, sitting up and pulling James' jeans open without protest from the brunette. He slid the zipper down and when James' arms could only give a half-hearted attempt at movement, he chuckled. 

"I like it when my boys are obedient," Steve stated, beginning to slide James' jeans down his hips. "It wasn't so bad though, right? I took care of you?" Steve asked in a way that seemed slightly calculating, like he were leading James to an answer. James minutely turned his head to face Steve and nodded serenely.

Steve smiled and moved to pull James' pants off completely, throwing them unceremoniously in a heap on the floor. He was too preoccupied with the creamy, smooth skin at James' inner thighs to care about that. He'd been dying to see it, to touch it, to taste it.

He let his hands roam greedily across acres of bared skin, running his fingertips under the bottom of James' boxer briefs to feel the soft heated tissue even higher up. He licked and kissed at the sensitive flesh, sucking it gently between his teeth and delighting in the evidence of the brunette's arousal before his face. 

James' hands weakly came to rest at the back of Steve's head, gently curling into his short, soft blonde hair. He was beginning to regain his strength back. It wouldn't be much longer until he did, now. 

Steve pressed the bridge of his nose against James' hard cock and ran it along the length, inhaling deeply. He smelled heady and heavy like sex, and it made Steve's mouth water. James let out a few whimpers but didn't try to say anything. 

Tony watched in awe, the scene affecting him completely and his hand began to grip at himself a little more firmly.

Suddenly he felt a small hand ever so lightly sliding inside of his boxers and he couldn't hold back his tiny gasp. Honestly, he'd completely forgotten about this…quiet… _pet_ version of Peter. His jaw clenched and he wasn't quite sure what to do. He lay still, looking up at the ceiling instead of down at the young man on his shoulder. 

Peter softly curled his fingers around Tony's cock, fingers unable to close together completely around the girth of it, and he began to slowly pump it up and down. Tony's eyes slammed shut and he let out a little grunt at the feeling. It was good but… it was Peter. It just didn't feel right. 

The smaller man began grinding his hips into Tony's thigh, slow jolting movements. Little labored breaths began to fall from his lips, hotly ghosting across Tony's collar bones, and the hand on his throbbing dick sped up slightly. 

"Fuck, Peter stop," he breathed out, grasping at his skinny wrist and quickly pulling his hand from his pants. He pulled himself more upright and sighed. Peter let out a little whimper and shifted with him.

"Hope you're being good, little dove," Steve's quiet voice said warningly, not bothering to open his eyes or stop running his face along James' hard cock. 

"I am, daddy!" Peter exclaimed in a high yelp, eyebrows shooting up and tensing his shoulders. Tony tried not to cringe outwardly at the exchange, or the names. Or the situation. Tony had this niggling feeling at the back of his mind that Steve liked to punish Peter for being "bad", and that that punishment hinged on Tony somehow.

"It's okay," he said in a voice he hoped was soothing to _both_ of them. "I just can't do that with you, Pete, I'm sorry. I just can't handle all the memories…" his voice trailed off and he looked away.

Steve's hand flashed out and grabbed Peter's forearm, drawing a surprised cry from his lips, and he yanked him roughly over Tony's lap and onto the bed between them.

"You can help me make James feel good, baby," he said quietly, leading Peter's hand to James' chest before letting go. Peter quickly righted himself and reached for James again.

"Yes, daddy, thank you, daddy," he quickly breathed. His hand began to roam across James' chest, twisting and tweaking his dusty pink nipples and pulling moans from his mouth.

His bright blue eyes looked clear again and he gently gripped a handful of Peter's hair in one hand and a handful of Steve's hair in the other. Steve smirked and sat up a little. 

"You're back? You gonna be a good boy for Daddy?"

"You're not daddy, I can't call you daddy. It's against the rules," James quickly informed Steve.

"Ahh, well then call me Sir, how about that?" Steve turned and looked at Tony as he asked and James did too. Tony thought for a moment before he nodded his head in the affirmative.

"Excellent," Steve smiled, leaning forward to claim James' mouth again. James' eyes opened wide nervously, but Steve wasn't nearly as rough as the last time. He broke the kiss and gripped James' boxers by the elastic, yanking them down. 

James cried out and tried to cover himself with his hands but Peter grabbed his hands and pinned them down by his ears with a wide eyed look of warning on his face. His hard cock bobbed obscenely into the air, already slick with precome and throbbing with need. 

"God, look at that," Steve sighed, running a light finger up the side of his shaft teasingly, making it jump in anticipation. "So gorgeous, look at that fucking cock. Tony, you're one lucky bastard," he chuckled, glancing over at the older man. 

"Yeah, I absolutely agree," Tony sighed, craning to see James around Peter. His own cock was hard and dripping in his pants, the fabric quickly growing damp. 

"Take your shirt off," Steve ordered Peter. "James is the only one naked in this room. Can't very well play that way, now can we?" 

Peter quickly complied, pulling his soft, loose white shirt over his head and tossing it over the side of the bed. Steve gripped his hair and forced him to turn so that he was facing the headboard, then reached a finger into his waistband, pulling it and letting it snap back.

"Lose the pants too. Just get naked. Tony, why don't you take off your shirt too?" He suggested, swiftly pulling his own shirt from his head and tossing it. Tony quickly unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall from his shoulders and onto the floor. He was almost surprised at his own willingness to follow Steve's orders. It wasn't exactly the way they'd planned it, but at the same time, with one person controlling what happened, it might he easier. 

Peter was soon naked beside James, and Steve and Tony were both touching themselves through their jeans. Steve smiled at Tony.

"You sure you don't want him?" He asked, grabbing a handful of Peter's ass. "You know how tight he is."

Tony shook his head, focusing on James and the way he looked so small under Steve right at that moment. He pushed thoughts of Peter's body from his mind. It's not that he wasn't attracted and turned on by Peter, it just didn't feel _right_ anymore. 

"Suit yourself," he conceded, unbuttoning his jeans. He slid them down his hips a little, then grabbed James' hand, pulling it to the front of his underwear. 

"Take my cock out, baby," he told James. James did as he was told, using his other hand to pull the elastic down and reaching in to grip at Steve's hard length. His eyes went wide in surprise when he felt it, gently pulling it from his underwear. 

Steve was huge. Definitely well hung. Tony thought he remembered making that assumption what felt like years ago. It was longer than James' and as thick, if not thicker than Tony's. 

"Why don't you get it wet, sweetheart? Nice and slick so I can put it inside you."

James shuddered but sat up, licking his lips. He leaned forward, opening his mouth wide, but stopped just before his lips could touch.

"W-what if it doesn't fit?" He asked in an octave higher than his usual tone. 

"It'll fit, baby. If I can fit inside _him_ ," he motioned toward Peter, who looked smaller than usual with his clothes off. "then I can fit inside of you," he assured. James shuddered again, took a deep breath and stretched his lips around Steve's cock.

He suckled at it tentatively at first, tasting the salty precome that leaked from the tip. It wasn't nearly as sweet as Tony's, but it wasn't horrible either. He took a little more into his mouth and began to bob his head up and down, gripping the base with his hands. 

Steve let out a moan and his head dropped back, eyes closed for a moment, before he turned to look at Tony, pupils dark. He motioned with his fingers for Tony to come closer, and Tony wordlessly obeyed. 

As soon as he was within Steve's grasp, he wrapped his thick fingers around Tony's throat, squeezing and pulling him the rest of the way across the mattress. He pulled him so that his body was flush against Steve's before he let go, the older man coughing and sputtering when he did. 

Steve didn't give him enough time to recover, gripping his face and pulling him in for a biting, stinging kiss. Tony's hands reached for Steve's chest reflexively, and he held tightly to the taller man. 

Steve laced his fingers into James' long hair, getting a tight grip and forcing him farther down on his cock. James gagged but Steve held him firmly in place. He reached with his other hand, sliding his fingers quickly into Tony's jeans, down the crease of his ass and pressing a finger into his tight entrance. 

Tony yanked away from the kiss and let out a loud yelp at the feeling of being breached by Steve's thick, dry fingertip. 

"Spread your legs baby, stick your ass out," Steve coaxed, pressing his finger in just a little farther. Tony wanted to protest, but his body moved on it's own, seeking relief from the tremendous pressure he felt at the intrusion.

Steve turned his attention back to James, pulling him off his cock completely, watching James sputter and gag, drawing in huge breaths before forcing him back down. He pumped his hips into James' mouth, forcing another inch in until he felt himself bump the back of James' throat. The brunette's body spasmed beneath him, struggling to break free. 

"Open your throat sweetheart, it'll make it easier for everyone," Steve said with a quiet laugh. He then nodded at Peter, who was still sitting and waiting for a command. 

"Get him ready," Steve ordered, nodding to where James' bare ass stuck into the air. Peter immediately dove face first into James, licking and sucking sloppy and eager at his entrance. James let out a muffled cry at the unexpected feeling, but couldn't move. Soon, he was moaning around Steve's huge cock, enjoying the thorough attention Peter was giving him.

"P-please," Tony grunted, capturing Steve's attention again. "L-lube?" He begged, beginning to sweat from the burning pain he was feeling. Steve smiled and slid his finger from Tony's ass, a relieved sigh falling from the smaller man. 

He brought his hand up to Tony's mouth and forced his two middle fingers over his lips, stroking his tongue and pushing in deep. Tony gagged on the long, thick fingers and tried to suck on them, his eyes slamming closed and his cheeks burning, but he couldn't close his lips around both of them and he began to drool all over his chin, dripping down onto his chest. Steve pumped them in and out, faster and deeper until Tony was retching loudly, before he pulled them from his lips. He quickly shoved his fingers back into Tony's pants and forced his long middle finger into his hole again, this time pushing his finger far past the tip, until he was buried completely inside of him.

Tony let out a shriek and his fingers turned to claws on Steve's chest. Steve grunted a sigh and began fucking Tony with his finger, fast and hard, before adding a second finger. 

"Oh, god!" Tony yelped, arms shaking. 

Suddenly, Steve released his fingers from Tony, at the same time yanking James off his cock again. He threw them both down onto the mattress, where they landed beside each other, panting hard. Peter slid up toward the headboard again to wait patiently. 

Tony took in James' face, flushed red and splotchy, streaked with tears. Saliva and precome smeared across his cheeks and his already normally plump lips were swollen and obscenely dark cherry in color. A quick glance down showed that he was still enjoying himself though, his cock rigidly hard and dark reddish purple, oozing and throbbing. Tony closed his eyes for a second and gripped James' hand, lacing their fingers together. 

Steve made quick work of shucking off his pants and underwear, quickly moving to peel off Tony's as well. He pushed them closer together, then gripped a handful of each of their hair, pinning both of them to the mattress. They both loosed a pained squeal but neither of them opted for their safe word. 

It finally occurred to Tony that he'd never even thought of one, let alone announced it, and it made him begin to feel insecure. James' was cinnamon, Peter's was vanilla…

"Cherry," he rasped out, voice broken and hoarse. 

"Cherry?" Steve repeated, realizing a second later what Tony probably meant. He quickly released his grip on Tony's dark hair and leaned away from him. "Was that too much?" He asked, his face losing it's edge completely and his voice sounding sweet again, no longer dark. 

"I-it's okay, I just… never said," Tony panted. Steve nodded.

"Cherry," he repeated, turning to look at James. "Cinnamon," he announced, looking up at Peter. "Vanilla," he finished with a nod. "God, you guys are fucking sweet," he laughed, taking a breath for himself.

The tension in the air seemed to melt away and everyone seemed to feel more at ease. James dared to reach up and stroke his fingers up and down Steve's muscular bicep while they waited for him to catch his breath. 

"So, everyone's okay?" Steve asked, wanting to be sure that everyone was feeling safe. Tony and James nodded and Peter replied, "yes, daddy."

Steve shook his head and looked from Tony to James. "I didn't hear you boys," he stated, face beginning to take it's dangerous edge again. He slid right back into their play effortlessly. A shiver ran down Tony's spine and he swallowed thickly. 

"Yes, sir," he said quietly, cheeks twinging red. Steve grinned and patted Tony's cheek.

"What a good boy," Steve cooed, turning to James. "And you?" He asked. 

Suddenly, James was feeling just a little bratty. He decided to press his luck with Steve. 

"We're fine," he stated in a voice that bordered on boredom. 

"Excuse me, 'we're fine' what?" Steve pressed. 

"We're fine, dude," James said with slight feigned annoyance and a roll of his eyes. Steve's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched tightly. 

Before James could see it coming, Steve's hand flew up and slapped him hard across the cheek. Tony jumped and gasped in surprise.

James loosed a tiny moan, reaching between his legs to touch himself. The shock of the blow had gone straight to his cock and he couldn't help the little grin that crossed his face. He did like to be roughed up, after all. 

Steve angrily gripped his wrists, pulling them up and pinning them tightly above James' shoulders. 

"Excuse me, you little slut?" He growled into James' ear.

James decided to push his luck a little farther and try for more. He smirked and looked Steve straight in the eyes. 

"I said go fuck yourself," he stated. His face was calm, aside from the angry red hand print, but his body was flushed pink in anticipation, his knees trying desperately to close to bring himself some much needed friction. He looked up at Steve with excitement poorly hidden in his eyes. 

Steve's face turned positively dark and he jerked James' wrists up above his head, holding them together painfully in one huge hand. He brought the other up, muscles tensed and ready for another rough blow. James pupils dilated, engulfing much of his blue eyes in black and he wore a crazed grin on his face. 

Steve brought his hand down flat, backhanding James across the other side of his face. He quickly gripped his chin and brought his face forward again, to James' complete surprise, and landed another blow, righting his face and backhanding him one more time.

After the third slap, James let out a yelp and his body language changed completely. His knees curled up toward his chest and his elbows began to pull towards his body, attempting to curl in on himself. His long hair had flown over his face after the last harsh hit and he kept his head turned to the side, away from Tony and away from Steve. He hadn't been expecting three hits in a row. 

"I don't think I heard you, little cock tease," Steve said again, voice low and quiet. James let out a whimper and Tony's eyes filled with hot tears. He knew it was play but he hated to see someone treating anyone this way, especially the man he loved. 

"I said, y-yes sir," James whispered in a tiny voice. 

"That's what I thought you said," Steve retorted, loosing his wrists. James immediately moved to cover himself, rolling onto his side. 

"Nuh-uh, we're not done here," Steve stated, gripping James' shoulder and forcing him back onto his back. When he rolled over, he peered through his hair cautiously at the blonde, lip trembling slightly. 

Steve's face took on a curious expression and he gently began brushing the dark hair from where it stuck to the sweat on James' forehead and the drying saliva on his cheeks. Once he'd uncovered his face, he realized that both his nose and lip dripped with sluggish red blood down his face. 

"Oh shit, oh shit, fuck" Steve began panicking, glancing worriedly at Tony.

"Steve, what the fuck," Tony exclaimed, bolting upright.

"I-I didn't mean to! I didn't realize he was so, so _soft_!" Steve exclaimed.

James looked worriedly from Tony to Steve and back again, before reaching up to gingerly touch his lips, fingers coming away bloody.

"That's breaking the rules! No blood!" Tony exclaimed, tears finally beginning to spill over. His breathing was growing erratic and it was setting Steve farther on edge. 

"Wait! It's okay-I'm okay!" James exclaimed, trying to calm both the men hovering over him. He gripped Tony's wrist gently, trying to bring his attention back from his panicked state. "It's okay! It's not even that bad! It was just an accident!" He continued. 

"No! No! He hit you too hard! That was too much!" Tony responded frantically.

"No!" James cut him off. "Honey, it's okay, I've had worse! Besides, I was asking for it, I was being bratty on purpose! I _wanted_ to be punished," he assured, reaching to cup his lover's face with a hand, while resting the other one gently against Steve's chest.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you bleed, I swear," Steve continued to ramble. "I just didn't know, I didn't know you're so-"

"Soft, like a peach, yeah yeah yeah," James interrupted with a gentle laugh. He looked around the room for a box of tissues, spotting one on the nightstand by the bed. Peter read his thought before he could move and quickly grabbed a couple, handing them to him.

James dabbed at the blood, already clotting and looked at Tony.

"Still bleeding?" He asked.

Tony shook his head no and attempted to calm down. 

"I promise I'm okay," James reassured again. They all sat together in silence for a moment, trying to calm their breaths and pulses, deciding the best way to continue forward. 

"I want more," James finally spoke up. "I can handle more," he stated confidently. "Besides," he looked down at his painfully hard dick, twitching and straining pitifully, "this isn't just going to go away," he said with a flush and a slanted smile. 

Tony let out a shaky breath and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around James' shoulders and holding him tightly. 

"Sorry, that just…scared the shit out of me," he admitted honestly, closing his eyes for a moment. 

"Why don't we get some cold drinks from the mini fridge?" Steve suggested. "Maybe take a breather and relax."

"Actually, I had the fridge stocked. There's ice cream in there," Tony supplied, knowing what a sweet tooth James had.

"Mmm, ice cream could be fun," James smiled excitedly. Tony smirked and began crawling off the bed to go fetch it, but Steve stopped him.

"Peter can get it," he said, motioning to the smallest, quietest member of the party. Peter quickly hopped from the bed and rushed to the corner of the room to retrieve the frozen treat.

Tony watched him go curiously. Peter had been as obedient as a show dog for the entire afternoon, not moving, not speaking unless spoken to… He was like a completely different person to the man that Tony had known, and even the new Peter that he was beginning to know. He wondered why the change had occurred and how Steve had managed to do it. 

Peter came rushing back with a handful of small containers of ice cream, holding them out to Steve. The blonde took the containers, fitting much more easily in his hands than Peter's, and looked at Peter with an expectant smirk.

"Might need some spoons?" He said in a way that was meant to belittle. It worked.

Peter blushed and stuttered out, "oh, I-I, I'm sorry. Of course, h-how stupid of me-" he was muttering, turning to search out spoons. Tony's eyebrows furrowed and he gently gripped Peter's delicate wrist before he could leave.

"Pete, you're not… you're not stupid. It was just a little mistake. Not even a mistake, an oversight."  
Tony was beginning to feel bad for Peter. He couldn't be sure if this little power play between him and Steve was just a part of their sexual play or how they were together in general. He really hoped Steve didn't treat him like this all the time, but with as much time as they'd all been spending together, he'd thought he would have noticed it before now. Maybe it was just bedroom play after all.

Peter kept his head down, but he looked at Tony from the corner of his eye, cheeks flushed and lips sealed.

Tony could see the way his neglected cock bobbed in the air before him, red and aching. He felt guilty because Peter had _had_ a chance for pleasure and Tony had chased him away. Now he was left at the mercy of Steve. 

"Why don't you sit down and I'll get them," Tony said, tugging gently at Peter's arm and standing himself. "I already know where they are anyways." 

Peter nervously perched on the bed, eyeing Steve through his messy curls, head low. Tony came back just a second later, handing a plastic spoon to each of the other men and grabbing two containers from Steve, passing one to Peter.

Peter looked surprised to be handed one and glanced at Steve as he took the ice cream, as if searching for permission. Tony then took another container from Steve and pulled it open, digging in his spoon and offering it to James. He slid the spoon out of his mouth slowly, allowing the cold plastic to press against his wounded lip. 

"Feel good?" He asked in a low voice.

"Mmhmm," James hummed back, suggestively licking at the spoon with a glint of mischief in his eye. 

Steve quickly popped the lid off the last remaining container in his hand and scooped his finger across the top, holding out the melting glob of frozen orange dairy for James. 

James took the offered finger and sucked it into his mouth dirtily, licking the sides and taking it into his mouth again, hollowing his cheeks with a moan. 

Steve let out a tiny gasp and pulled his finger back slowly, the rush from the sight of blood gone, the rush from the blood in his dick taking over again. 

James continued accepting little licks of ice cream from Tony and Steve for a moment before he realized that Peter was still sitting in the same position as before, spoon in one hand and ice cream melting in the other. He could see the condensation running down his thin forearm and decided to help Peter out. 

He gently touched Peter's arm to get his attention, then crooked his finger at the youngest man coyly. 

Peter perked up immediately, quickly leaning forward to crawl into the space between the other three men, facing James. His eyes were wide with delight, probably at finally getting some attention.

"I got chocolate fudge," James cooed, "what kind did you get?" He leaned closer into Peter's space with a little smile. James pretended not to notice Steve and Tony watching their every move intently. 

"Uh, I-" Peter quickly looked at the container to see; he hadn't bothered to before now. "I-it's strawberry ch-cheesecake," he blurted, waiting with wide eyes to find out what James would say or do next. 

"Mmm, we could try to make some chocolate covered strawberries," he suggested flirtatiously, gently biting the tip of his spoon between his teeth.

Peter's eyes went impossibly wider, jaw dropping slightly. He then furiously began pulling at the lid of his ice cream, prying it off with haste.

Unfortunately, the dessert had already begun to melt at the top and on the sides in his heated grasp, and when Peter's lid finally popped off, it went splashing up James' stomach and chest, a few drops landing on the tip of his hot, erect cock.

Peter let out a horrified gasp in the same second that James let out a shocked squeal at the feeling of the icy treat hitting his hot skin. James pulled in a huge breath and Peter covered his mouth with his hand, unwilling to believe what had happened, whiskey colored eyes owlish with horror.

Steve clucked his tongue in disapproval, shaking his head slightly at the sight and opening his mouth to reprimand, but before he could say anything Tony reached his finger into James' melting ice cream, swirling and smearing it on his chest, mixing it with Peter's. James drew in another gulp of air at the feeling, then when Tony's hot tongue swiped through the sticky mess and over a sensitive nipple he let out a cry, the sensations of hot and cold warring on his skin. His head fell back and his eyes slammed closed and he reached to grasp at his aching cock. 

Tony took control again, reaching his finger into Peter's container and scooping some of it out, feeding it to his ex lover messily.

"How about that chocolate strawberry, hmm?" He murmured as he did. He then quickly did the same to James, pushing their faces together until their lips touched, and Peter eagerly initiated a kiss. He moaned into James' mouth, the two flavors mingling on their tongues together perfectly. Peter chased the kiss long after all of the ice cream was gone, loving kissing James' soft lips, and the gentle touches the man gave him while he did. 

James began to lay back on the mattress slowly, gripping Peter's hair and pulling him after him, leading the younger man's face to where ice cream still splashed across his chest.

Peter lapped at it eagerly, running his fingers up and down James' sides and rutting gently against his inner thigh. He moved down, noticing the few stray drops still on James' cock and wrapped his lips around it, sucking on it enthusiastically.

James let loose a sound like the air had been punched from his lungs, and his hips immediately began to cant up into Peter's tight hot mouth. He'd been so turned on for so long that he could come just from the bit of friction from Peter's tongue. Peter expertly sucked down his length, swallowing around it, causing spasms in his throat that pulled whimpers out of James. James' body began to twitch and spasm, growing nearer and nearer to a much needed release. 

"Don't come yet, baby," Steve spoke up, pulling Peter gently off of James with a loud pop. James whined at the loss of suction, rubbing his knuckles up and down his shaft lightly. 

"Don't come," the blonde pressed, "you have to let us fuck you first." He said it so matter of factly that James got chills. Suddenly, Steve's big hands were on his hips, rolling him onto his stomach. He pulled himself up onto his knees and realized that the four of them were all gathered together at the foot of the bed, leaving the rest of it empty. He crawled forward into the huge empty space and then lowered his chest to the bed, ass up, knowing that the three other men were getting an eye full.

He didn't care, he just needed to be touched. His cock hung heavy and wet, sticky between his legs. He felt the bed dipping and moving with the weight of the other men as they moved closer. Hands softly encircled his waist, gripping tighter with every passing second and he closed his eyes with a smile. He heard a bottle snapping opened and knew it was lube. 

Within the next moment, he felt a slick finger petting at his hole and he shuddered in suspenseful expectation. The finger circled around the rim and began pressing against the muscle, breaching it slowly. It was joined by another finger, and together they dipped inside of James, pulling a cry from his lips. 

The fingers were thick and long, stretching him more than he was used to. It was Steve. James mentally prepared himself to take the biggest cock he'd ever seen in his life, and goosebumps bloomed across his skin. In a far corner of his mind, he wondered how tiny Peter could take such a huge man like Steve, but he pushed that though aside and breathed deep. 

Steve began to fuck into James' tight hole with two fingers, delighting in the feeling he'd only imagined for months. He was so hot and slick and velvety. He barely had the patience to prepare the man enough, but he knew that he absolutely needed to. He thrust in a third finger and James let out a loud cry, back bowing slightly away from the pain. Steve pressed a large hand heavily into the middle of James' spine to force his back to arch again. 

"Be a good boy for Sir," he murmured quietly, focused on his sweet task, literally at hand. He couldn't help lifting his left hand from James' back and bringing it down harshly against his ass, stinging the white flesh bright red. 

James yelped and thrust his ass back for more, unintentionally impaling himself farther onto Steve's fingers, drawing another cry from his own lips. 

"Please, please give me more," he begged in a shaky voice. Steve smirked and continued finger fucking him, faster and rougher than before, adding a fourth finger when James least expected it, then landing another smack to his ass.

"Ah! Fuck, yes! More, please more," he begged again, gripping tight fistfuls of the sheets beneath him.

Tony watched in awe, his lover turning to a puddle of melted butter under Steve's attentions. He gripped his own cock and stroked it, much slower than he really wanted to. He glanced at Peter from the corner of his eye and saw that he was struggling not to touch himself, though he clearly desperately needed to. His whole body was shaking and he was sweating. Tony assumed that not touching himself must be part of some rules he was following from Steve. He noticed a mixture of strawberry and chocolate smeared messily on his cheeks and the end of his nose from when he'd been licking it from James' chest and decided, maybe he would play with Peter after all. 

He reached out and gripped Peter by the back of his head, fingers curled firmly into his hair, but not cruelly. Peter jumped in surprise at the unexpected feeling, but obediently allowed Tony to guide him closer.

As soon as Tony had him close enough, he pressed his lips tightly against Peter's, pressing his tongue inside to taste him and licking sloppily at the mess on his face. His cock gave a painful twitch and he moaned. When he broke the kiss and pulled back, he sat down beside where James was moaning like a slut under Steve and gripped Peter's hips, pulling his slight weight onto his lap. His cock slotted between Peter's cheeks, nudging insistently at his tight entrance. Peter shivered and whimpered, excited to receive the attention. 

"You want me to fuck you?" Tony whispered to Peter, though he knew the other men could hear him. Peter whimpered and shook his head vigorously, chestnut curls bouncing wildly. 

James slowly turned his head, watching Tony with Peter in his lap. A tiny part of him felt jealous, but he watched Tony through hazed eyes, while Steve took him apart piece by piece and he knew he didn't have any right or reason to feel jealous. 

No one expected Steve's hand to flash out when it did, tightly gripping Peter's chin and pulling him close to his own face, nearly toppling him from Tony's lap. Tony heard something in the youngest's neck pop as he was jerked away and he let out a frightened squeal at the unexpected manhandling. 

Tony gripped his hips to keep him from falling on instinct and everyone in the room froze. 

"I think Mister Tony asked you a question, sweetheart," Steve said, in a voice that didn't sound menacing at all, harshly contrasting the sharp look in his eyes. "How do we answer a question properly, Peter?" He squeezed Peter's jaw, smashing his mouth painfully, and Peter loosed a whimper. 

"S'rry, daddy!" Peter lisped. "Pweeze! Pweeze f'ck me, serr!" It came out garbled and barely intelligible. Steve loosed Peter's face with a little shove and turned his attention back to James, beginning to move his fingers again, pulling a moan from James.

Peter lowered his head to hide beneath his messy curls, the part of his face that was still visible flushing scarlett red. He quietly righted himself on Tony's lap and awaited direction from the man. 

Tony felt a twinge of empathy for Peter in his chest, using his hands to help Peter regain his position on top of his lap. He wrapped a hand around the back of Peter's neck and pulled him down gently to kiss him, then whispered in his ear, "you're a good boy, Pete," this time quiet enough that the other two wouldn't hear. Peter whimpered almost silently in response. 

"You wanna be on top? Or do you want daddy to do the work?" Tony asked, caressing Peter's cheek gently. Tony felt a quick, stinging slap at his ribs and flinched, turning to look at where it had come from. 

James was still under Steve, and the big blonde was lining up his cock with James' entrance, but James was focused on Tony with a scowl on his face, eyebrows furrowed and jaw set firmly. Tony suddenly realized what he'd said wrong and his eyebrows shot up.

"I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean it," he reassured, gently tugging at a stray strand of James' silky long hair. He turned back to Peter.

"Don't call me daddy, I didn't mean to say that."

Peter nodded. "Yes, sir."

Tony turned to look back at James and he seemed to be satisfied, his face relaxing, but he didn't have any time to react, because just then Steve had pushed past his tight ring of muscle and James face took on a shocked expression. 

His clear blue eyes opened wide and his mouth dropped open into a perfectly round "O". He reached a hand back quickly to try to steady Steve but it did no good. Steve gripped his wrists and pulled them behind him, binding him. 

The tall blonde adjusted his knees and thrust his hips forward, pushing all the way inside of James' tight wet heat in one slow motion. James let out a drawn out squeal that tapered off into a full blown screech by the time Steve bottomed out. The tall blonde gave a satisfied moan, eyes shuddering to a close and a smile gracing his lips. 

Tony watched in awe, at the look of pained pleasure on James' face. He couldn't imagine how he must feel to be split open on such a fat cock, but he knew he'd probably know soon enough. His cock jumped as a shot of hot desire sped through his veins at the sight of James being impaled by Steve. He'd imagined it quite a few times but none of his daytime fantasies lived up to the real thing. 

Steve finally began to move, pulling his hips far back slowly, then snapping them forward again. James made a quiet choking sound in his throat as Steve's hips slapped into his ass and his eyes rolled back for a moment. He still held tightly to James' wrists like a leash, beginning to set a fast pace and using them to pull his body back onto his cock. 

The lewd squelching and slapping sounds filling the air were beginning to drive Tony crazy and he gripped onto Peter's hips tightly, sliding his hips back and forth, grinding his cock against the cleft of his ass, catching at his rim. Peter whined and lifted his ass into the air, trying his best to match Tony's rhythm so that he might penetrate himself on Tony's cock given the right angle. Tony caught on to the boy's plan immediately and flipped them over, pinning him to the bed and thrusting in quickly. He buried himself halfway and loosed a loud groan of his own, while Peter let out a shriek. He hadn't been prepared at all, but he was so needy, he almost didn't care. 

"Fuck me fuck me fuck me! Please, sir, please!" He begged, wrapping his arms around Tony's shoulders and pulling him close and tight. Tony didn't hesitate to aquiesce to the request, fucking into Peter almost brutally fast and hard, both of them needing the touch badly. 

Within moments, the only sounds in the room were James and Peter mewling and crying out and Steve and Tony grunting and panting, peppered with the slick wet sounds of their fucking. 

It was intoxicating, the sounds, the smells. Tony hadn't been with Peter in this way in almost a year, but he still remembered right where his favorite spots were and he didn't fail to push every button he had in alphabetical order. Peter was a high pitched, crying mess in no time and Tony delighted that he was still able to get him off, pushing the feeling of _wrongness_ to the back of his mind. It didn't need to be complicated. 

He tilted his hips down and began pounding directly into Peter's prostate, feeling his own release nearing it's crest. He glanced over at the other two men and nearly came right then, just from the sight of them. 

Steve had a fistful of James' beautiful hair, pulling his head back roughly, his hips held in place by Steve's brutal assault and the arch it created was almost dangerous.

Hoarse cries fell from James' mouth in a constant stream, and his throat was exposed at the most perfect angle. Fuck, Tony loved him. 

He dropped his hips lower and prepared to come, feeling his body growing hot expectantly.

"Come for me, Peter. I need you to come," he growled out, eyes closed and forcing into his tight hole as deeply as he possibly could and then some. 

"Yes, _SIR_!" Peter howled with a sob, coming almost immediately at the command. His tight hole clenched down around Tony, forcing him over the edge, and Tony came hot inside of Peter with a bellow. His hips stuttered to a stop after a few moments, riding out the aftershocks of his orgasm before he finally opened his eyes to look at Peter. 

The youngest man wore a big happy grin on his face and his cheeks were flushed pink.

"Thank you, sir," he whispered shyly, a little giggle escaping him. Tony panted and a little smile crossed his lips too as he watched Peter beam in his afterglow. He looked down at the mess between them and resolved to take a shower later with James. When everyone was finished.

Thinking about "finished", he turned his attention back to the other two. Steve was still pounding into James with everything he had, and James' legs were shaking violently beneath him. 

The tall blonde suddenly pulled out of James, eliciting a sharp cry from the smaller brunette, and he let him fall onto the mattress. 

James panted and gasped, fingers clutching at the sheets and eyes unfocused. His hair was wild and messy and saliva was smeared around his mouth. Before he could speak or move, Steve was rolling him onto his back. 

He sat down, legs straight in front of him and he draped James' legs over his own, pulling him down so that Steve could enter him from this new angle. James let out a soft whimper which gave way to a yelp when Steve yanked his body down onto his still hard cock fast and unexpectedly. 

He gripped James' svelte waist and began grinding him up and down, shooting sparks of pleasure through his entire body directly from his swollen prostate. James began moaning loudly, sounds broken and hoarse, and drooling over his swollen lips, unable to keep up with all of the overwhelming sensations he was feeling. 

Tony almost felt bad for beginning to get hard again watching the two of them.  
Almost.

He quickly pulled his cock from inside of Peter before he could grow back to his full, hardened size and he slid quietly from the bed, slinking around to retrieve his phone from his discarded jeans pocket. He'd be an idiot if he didn't get at least one picture of the glorious sight before him. 

He took a position to the side of and behind where Steve sat, clearly able to see Steve's fat cock splitting open James' gaping red hole over his shoulder, as well as offering a good view of James' blissed out face. He grinned to himself as he took a few frames, then decided he may as well take a shot of Peter, laying half asleep and smeared in his own come where Tony had fucked him into the mattress.

They'd have to do this again, Tony decided. He chuckled quietly to himself and dropped his phone onto a pile of clothes that lay on the floor, crawling back onto the bed on the opposite side that he'd been on. 

Steve noticed him then and grabbed him by the back of his neck, pulling him in for a biting kiss that was more teeth than tongue or lips. Tony sighed contentedly and finally let his guard down completely. 

He gripped onto Steve, cupping his face and throat and leaned into the kiss, crawling close to where the tall man sat. Steve broke the kiss, looking at Tony as if he were surprised by his actions, hips faltering to a halt. 

"I think you should let him come," Tony said quietly, motioning to where James lay boneless on the bed, body involuntarily convulsing with pleasure. 

"But, I'm not there yet," Steve replied, just as quietly. Tony slowly lay down beside James, running his hands up and down his chest coyly, biting his lip seductively at Steve. 

"It's my turn," he said with a smile. 

Steve's lips curled into a lust filled grin as he took in the two brunettes beneath him. He then looked over at where Peter had fallen asleep, spent and satisfied like a pretty little kitten. He was a lucky man. 

Tony had paid to have the room for two full days, not sure how long they would need. The four men ended up staying for both, enjoying every second of it. The four of them made love in every possible combination and position, learning each other in ways they never thought they would. 

Tony was glad to find that Steve's poor treatment of Peter was actually something that Peter had requested, and not actually Steve's temperament. After their first afternoon together, Tony actually found that Steve was a ridiculously soft and giving lover, except when James decided to be a brat. Which happened a few times. 

Turned out that Tony had underestimated how much James loved a good punishment, and how badly he wanted Steve to be the one to punish him. It made sense, Steve was so big. He probably relished in this big, beautiful, blonde idiot being able to throw him around like a bag of nothing.

Really, he was only a few inches taller than the rest of them, but in the bedroom, it seemed like so much more. 

They ordered room service a few times and fed each other with their hands, naked and exhausted and absolutely humming with contentedness. 

When the two days were up, they all showered and dressed in silence, preparing to go back to a normal routine life. Tony was personally glad, body sore and tired from the days' exertions, and he guessed that the other men must feel similarly.

Before they all got into their cars to leave the motel, they shared tender but platonic kisses, promising to make plans again for dinner soon. 

The drive home was quiet, but filled with the overwhelming aura of happiness. When they finally arrived back at James and Tony's shared country home, James let out a long sigh.

"My garden," he said simply in a loving voice. Tony chuckled and patted his knee. 

"Let's go take a nap," he suggested, stepping from the car with a groan. James stepped out right behind. 

"Beat you there," he smiled, giving Tony a little shove as he jogged past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it's long. It's porn. Its... Somehow a little fluffy? Just a touch. 
> 
> I hope someone makes it to the end! I had a ridiculously fun time writing this, but I don't have a way to check for errors aside from tediously re-reading and agonizing over everything, so as usual, I apologise for any errors! I'll find them and fix them eventually!
> 
> Have a great day! 💙


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